Hi, Rob
 

In response to person that was asking about a app that gives a graph of the battery.  

Try (battery doctor pro) I use it all the time and it saves my battery.

 

Regards,  

Trey

Hi Rob,

Regarding the question about snoozing Calendar/Reminders:

I gave up on Apple's solution before it existed.  I purchased PoweryBase's NotifyMe back in 2008.  There is an app to sync with your Mac and you can access all reminders online. 

One of the many features of this app is snoozing and even "keep reminding me until I say done".  I have loved the app since 2008 and even convinced my boyfriend to buy an iPhone because of it. 

Love the show.  Great job!

Cheers,
Paul

Hello Rob 

I have a question about iBooks. When I am finished with a book I  can not delete it. I can hide the book but I would like to delete. Can you help?  

Thanks for the show.  

 Rob 

Hi Rob, 

Make sure you get the books into list view. 

To do that pull down on the book shelf - you should then see the search box and next to it the icons for Book format and list format. Tap on the list format.  Once it switches to the list view just swipe left to right over the book - and the red "Delete" option should show up - tap it and the book should be gone. 

OR 

Simply tap on "Edit" in the upper left.  Then select the books you want to delete and then tap on Delete.  

Regards, 

Rob W

Hello Rob,  

Would you please suggest an App for reading documents/web pages when you do not have A network connection. I'm a new iPad 2 owner..

Thanks much.

Kind regards

Mike

Hi Mike,

Hi Rob,

I'm looking for an app recommendation. I've been trying to find an app that lists and maps bike trails but have been pretty disappointed with what little I have found.

I'm interested in this to help me find new trails for riding (and/or running) both near home and when I'm traveling.

Do you or any of your listeners have suggestions for a good app - even a great web app?

Thanks,

Tim

Hi Tim,

One App that was recommended by a listener in the past is the App - Trails - GPS Tracker.  There is a lite version you can try out.

Look over the ratings and feedback for both the free and paid version - especially the paid version before purchasing to make sure it meets all your needs. 

Trails - GPS Tracker - seemed to get better overall reviews than the other App like this in the app store -  EasyTrails GPS 4 -  which also has a free version 

Good luck with these apps - and let me know if you have tried or do try either app.

Regards,

Rob W

Rob, 
I have a question for you or the audience. I have a class with no wifi that I use my MacBook Air for. I have Internet on my iPhone 4 (obviously). I'm looking for an app that will let me transfer a file (office doc, image, PDF, etc) to my MacBook using adhoc wifi (like AirDrop) or Bluetooth. Unfortunately, I can't jailbreak, so I'm looking for a "sanctioned" app. It's probably not possible, but I figured you'd be the one to ask. 

Thanks,
Lou V

Hi Lou,

The Terra Web Browser is back in the app store and it is free.

You can get it HERE

This was asked about by a few listeners in the past and the folks that make the App just let me know it is back in the App store.

This is one of the better - IMO - 3rd party browsers and it is free - so download it while you can.

Rob W

Hey Rob,

 

I heard you say on episode 182, that you finally received an invite for google+, I've looked everywhere to try and find someone to invite me. Can you please invite me, I really want to try this out to see what all the hype is about.

 

Thanks in advance,

Richard H

P.s.- also on 182, the guy that asked about printing, tell him to search Curia for " TruPrint" it works with any network printer instead of limiting you to use apples printer, this is an awesome app. Tell everybody.

Hi Richard,

The invite has been sent and thanks for the heads up on TruPrint.

If anyone else wants an invite - please submit a comment below and put in your gmail email address - I will not make it public - but I do need it for the invite.  

Regards,

Rob W

In the US it is a national holiday - THE National Holiday - and many devs are giving away some apps for free.  I highly recommend a visit to the Apple App store today to see what Apps are free and also many apps are also reduced in price.  Here are a few apps that contacted me to let me know they are free today only - July 4th.

Time Off - An App that makes it easy to request, remember and report all of you paid time off.

Trucks & Skulls Nitro - Game that is highly addictive and great fun - this is my son's favorite game. 

Army of Darkness Defense - Calling all Bruce Campbell fans this game is a must.  

Hey Rob,

Regarding the question on note taking apps, I'd like to mention a great application that got me through my studies and also in my day job for the past 5 years or so... It's called OneNote and it's actually a PC application - part of the Microsoft office suite which students can get for a very low price.
The reason I mention it is because I recently found a great ios app that syncs it to the iPad or iPhone called Mobilenoter...

For detailed reviews here are links to my blog virtualida.com where I recently posted on this very subject -

http://www.virtualida.com/2010/08/how-many-of-you-know-onenote.html

http://www.virtualida.com/2010/08/app-review-mobilenoter-helps-you-sync.html


Take care,
Amir.

================

Hello Rob,

I´m writing you from the beautiful Medellin, Colombia, though I am from the awesome Monterrey, Mexico.

I want to share with you and all your listeners a great app and software for note taking. This software is for making mind maps, its called iMindMap and comes in different versions. There is for Mac, Windows, iPhone, iPad and I think that also for Linux. This software is almost for anyone. From a student that want to take notes at school, as for the teacher to organize the year program, or for an airplane company that is building the next supersonic aircraft. I use it in the inside of the back cover of all the books I read to make a resume of what I read, so when I get back to the book, I don´t have to read it again. I also use it to organize my agenda, my life and my ideas.

The idea behind the mind maps, is that is easier for the brain to recognize and remember what you wrote. If someone doesn´t know what a mind map is, please check it in wikipedia for a more detail explanation.

I get to know mind maps in a photoreading course, and then buy the book from Tony Buzan, the developer of mind mapping, and since then been using it.

The URL is www.thinkbuzan.com.

Best regards,

LARGA

==============

Recommendation for back to school apps:

http://istudentpro.com/  - I like this one better for the iPhone (not so great on iPad)

http://ihomework.pilone.org/Home.html  - I like this one better for the iPad....the interface is much more friendly than the other on the iPad - but it works fine on the iPhone too.

Audrie

==============

Hi Rob,

I was looking to get a turn by turn gps app and I was wondering which one is the best or the one you would recommend?

Thanks

Lance

Hi Lance,

Personally I like the Navigon Application - However I recommend going back and listening to Episode 95.  

http://tii.libsyn.com/tii_i_tem_0095_french_fried/comments
 

On that episode we talked about quite a few of the navigation apps.
 

Regards,

Rob W

Hi Rob,

 

I have heard some great things about the Terra web browser. When I searched for it on the iTunes Store, I get the message that this product is not available in the U.S.

What's up with this?

 

Thanks and keep up the great work!

Darrell

Hi Darrell,

I contacted the folks that make the app and here is their response:

thank for contacting us. Unfortunately Terra web browser temporary was removed from the App Store. At the moment we are woking on the update and making some changes in the API, that were required by Apple Team. Hope pretty soon our application will be available on the App Store. We are sorry for the inconvenience, which were caused by Terra browser remove.

 

So it looks like it is just part of the normal goings on with the Apple App store.  Sometimes you have to change something in the app to stay in favor with the latest requirements dejor.  

Regards,

Rob W

Hello Rob,

I heard you recently mention that Tii v1.9.2 is the latest version. 

How do I determine which version of the Tii app I have?

Thanks!

Gregory

Hi Gregory,

When you open the Tii App - tap on Extras - the version is at the bottom of the extras page.  It is very small at the bottom and barely visible.  

And yes v1.9.2 is the latest version as of 4/13/11

Rob W

This was originally published in August 2010

I like walled gardens they are safe and for the most part keep out the predators. However when one or more sneak over the wall the results can be to say the least ugly.  With iTunes App store one of the key supposed advantages to the end users is that it is a walled garden and Apple is providing a safe secure environment you can trust in.  They vet the apps that are approved and have a mechanism where users can review apps.  They even set up the review process such that only those that download the app can review it.  In theory this means they are app reviews you can believe in.  I say “in theory” because in reality that is not 100% true. 

This week the FTC (Federal Trade Commission) reached a settlement with Reverb a public relations agency that was hired by a video game app developer. Reverb had its employees filling out bogus reviews in the iTunes app store with no indication the reviews were from someone connected to the App developer and paid by the app developer. 

“Companies, including public relations firms involved in online marketing need to abide by long-held principles of truth in advertising,” said Mary Engle, Director of the FTC’s Division of Advertising Practices. “Advertisers should not pass themselves off as ordinary consumers touting a product, and endorsers should make it clear when they have financial connections to sellers.”

Before you say Reverb was just one bad Apple and this is an isolated case, ummm – No.  This is not an isolated case.  Back on April 30^th 2010, on my website I posted an article that exposed a company by the name of YourAppReviewed, which was offering the service of reviewing apps on iTunes.  At that time they had apparently reviewed for pay over 50 different apps by over 20 different reviewers.  Some of the reviewers clearly were not using the products when you looked at all the apps they were reviewing.  Some combinations were actually humorous:

Like Amberg914 that reviewed apps for New Moms, a Wedding Planner, and how to find a man.  I guess that is possible.  After all - RSS Comm, Violin Lady and Bartsrock all reviewed the New Mom and Wedding planner apps - Maybe they should have reviewed a birth control methods app.     

Others were just disgusting:

I came across a review by apple user - RobbyRedPort.  It was for the app -  Overcome the loss of a loved one with prof McMurphys subliminal techniques - Thats right they appear to be paying to put up a fake review for an app that "prays" on those that lost a loved one. 

These reviews were brought to Apples attention. To which I was told Apple was reviewing.  Two weeks later all the apps, sans the loss of a loved one app, were still in the App store and there were another dozen or so apps that looked to be added to the group of bogus app reviews.  I did a follow up post here on this. To date it still appears all the App reviews are still up and that Apple has done nothing to police these bogus app reviews.

Again before you say well that is just one other company with no morals or regard to the FTC rules out there doing paid app reviews – I need to say nope there are others. There is one person going by the name Samwize that was offering for $5 to do twenty 5-star App reviews in iTunes for your app.  He also offered to mix in some 4-star reviews if you wanted.  Clearly this was to make the app reviews look as real as possible for the sole purpose of tricking the consumer (you and me).  Fortunately for this article Samwize was so hubris in his solicitation of his services he put up a screen shot showing one of his iTunes user names.  From there I was able to see many of the Apps he appears to have paid to do reviews for.  Many of those reviews happening in July and August 2010.  Quite a few of those were from the App developer LOLer Apps – which appears to have paid for the service.  Three of their apps – Baby Maker, Anti Theft Alarm and Amazing Human Calculator all have twenty 5-star reviews you can trace back to samwize. Ooooppps.

Per the App developer above I do not know for certain they paid for the App reviews – but it does appear that way.  And given that Apps can have access to very personal information about you – I would highly recommend staying away from any app from any developer that may be paying anyone to do bogus app reviews.  After all if someone is willing to mislead you about their app, you really have to wonder what else they are capable of.

I am sure the over percentage of apps doing this is small. But there are some signs you can look for to see if an App may have bogus App reviews.  When looking at the summary of the reviews in iTunes look for the letter “C”.  That is when you see just as many 1 star reviews as you do 5 star reviews – it looks like the letter “C”.  That is a clear sign something is not right.  Baby Maker and Anti Theft Alarm – both qualify for that – well except Baby Maker has twice as many 1 star reviews as 5 star reviews. 

Hopefully Apple will take action on this situation.  The FTC already has.  Now it is time for Apple to clean up their Walled Garden.  But even if they don’t – I have this message from the FTC I would like to send out to those looking to put up bogus App Reviews.  “Each violation … may result in a civil penalty of up to $16,000.”

Have a nice day.