The iPhone Collective

[sarahsar]

Question for all you iphone users.
I got a Belkin car kit for the ipod or iphone for Christmas...I have a touch but I am hoping to get a iphone by the end of this month.

Anybody have this car kit? What are your views? I haven't opened it yet...don't have a new enough car to have a ipod/phone jack so DH thought this might work?

As others have said, it depends a lot on where you are. If you have a lot of stations where you live, it may be hard to get a signal without interference.

I use a cassette adapter, which is nice because you don't have any issues with the radio. It cost about $20. If your car has an auxiliary in port, you can also get a cable for that for about the same amount of money. In either case, it just plugs into the headphone jack on your iPhone/iPod and uses the car stereo system as headphones.

 

[denise]

I have an older one and have never been impressed.Touch volume had to be on full and it just sounded awful thru the car speakers. Got this one because it holds the touch/iphone on an adjustable stand. When I get the phone I will be able to talk using the speaker.
My car has a casette so I could get the adapter for that (my DD has one for her car and it works great) The car we use all the time and for trips doesn't have a cassette or the jack, it only has a cd.
This thing was about $70 so it just might go back to Costco.

 

[MM32830]

You also might want to look into replacing the radio. Seriously. Depending on brand of car you have and the type of radio you get, you can get an iPod/iPhone compatible radio for about $150.00. This is a little more expensive than FM transmitters but the quality is impeccable.



__________________
Armand

 

[vwlfan]

Had my iphone since August. I faithfully charge it every night. But some days, like today it drains down to less than 30% in a half day. I was listening to ESPN radio on their app for about an hour otherwise I was treating it like any other day.

Do I need a new battery already?

 

[denise]

Think I will just take it back.

New car is not an option either is a new radio. I can't do a thing about my company car either. I will just use one ear plug still.

Got several pics in company mail of someone who left their iphone docking/charger plugged into the lighter. The charger caught fire...
Their car is a total loss, they are lucky their garage didn't burn down too. Most cars don't have power in the lighter when not turned on but their 2007 suburban did.
Always remember to unplug your charger. Also don't have it plugged in when you turn on your car....

two weeks until I can get an iphone!!!

 

[Annette_VA]

I recently stumbled across an app called Dragon Dictation which looks like it will significantly change how I use the iPhone.

Dragon Dictation is speech-to-text recognition software that uses the Dragon NaturallySpeaking voice recognition engine to turn speech into text. It is _amazingly_ accurate. Once you're done speaking, the app produces the corresponding text, and you get a chance to tweak it. You can then send the text to an IM, an email, or to the clipboard.

As someone who has never really gotten the hang of typing with two thumbs, this little app is going to save me a heck of a lot of time.

And best off all, for the time being, Dragon Dictation is free.

-- Dave

I got that app a few weeks ago, but haven't really played around with it yet. Glad to know it works so well!

 

[disneyholic family]

I recently stumbled across an app called Dragon Dictation which looks like it will significantly change how I use the iPhone.

Dragon Dictation is speech-to-text recognition software that uses the Dragon NaturallySpeaking voice recognition engine to turn speech into text. It is _amazingly_ accurate. Once you're done speaking, the app produces the corresponding text, and you get a chance to tweak it. You can then send the text to an IM, an email, or to the clipboard.

As someone who has never really gotten the hang of typing with two thumbs, this little app is going to save me a heck of a lot of time.

And best off all, for the time being, Dragon Dictation is free.

-- Dave

thanks for the tip!!!!!

i've downloaded it onto all of our phones and it works really well!!!!!!
saves a ton of time in emailing!!!

 

[rn4val]

Thanks for the tip. I have trouble with my vision and an anxious to try it out

 

[momof2blondes]

I too love my iphone, it is my baby and goes everywhere with me.

I have the following apps:
lose it (want to look good in a bathing suit for our disney trip)
say who lite
ping (works like blackberry messenger)
fstream
eticket wdw
Disney
wdw park hours
wdw wait times
wdw maps
up
wdw weather plus
flickster (great for planning a night to the movies last minute)
to do's (keeps me organized, sort of)
Scramble
urban spoon (great when you want to go out for dinner last minute)
take me to my car (havent used yet)
bejeweled 2
traffic rush
hangman
phase 10 (love it)
falling balls
word warp (love it, but its addictive and then I don't get my stuff done from my to do's list )
free cell
tap tap revenge
brick free
waterslide (anther addictive game, and the kids like it)
penguin 2
cube runner
shrek kart (for the boys)

And I am always looking for new apps, especially free ones.

 

[nedac]

FREE TODAY...

Finger Physics, great game... check it out.



This has me thinking, I am always looking for free apps, good ones like the one above... Is there a thread, or would anyone be interested in starting a new thread just for free apps? Not ones that are free everyday, but apps that are free for one day only, like the one above. Personally, I have been finding 2-3 a week lately. Good stuff too. What does everyone think?

 

[Praise2Him]

Here's your thread for free apps from the Budget Board!

http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?p=34903030#post34903030

 

[*NikkiBell*]

I just wanted to pop over to let you all know about a really fun app my boyfriend's sister introduced me to over NYE weekend. It's called Words with Friends and totally free. You can play Scrabble with your friends on it. Check it out! Loads of fun!

 

[GBShorts]

Had my iphone since August. I faithfully charge it every night. But some days, like today it drains down to less than 30% in a half day. I was listening to ESPN radio on their app for about an hour otherwise I was treating it like any other day.

Do I need a new battery already?

I think this may have recently been mentioned but just in case you missed it...

Make sure you push the "home" button before putting your phone to sleep using the top button. That way there aren't any applications actively running and your battery won't drain as quickly. If you leave, say, a game running with moving graphics and you push the sleep button, the app can keep running, essentially burning down battery power.

In addition, turn off location services, wifi, and push notifications if you don't need them whenever it's asleep. I leave location services off unless I'm mapping something...and then it reminds me to turn it on before it'll work. Otherwise all it does is suck up juice.

Hope that helps! Another thing they suggest is cycling your battery by letting it completely die and then fully charge it once a month or so. That might help a bit...or make sure you have the latest updates installed from iTunes.

 

[vwlfan]

Thanks GB Shorts

I did not see the previous advice and will certainly follow all your tips. What was troubling was that my wife landed in the ER that afternoon and I was trying to use the phone to contact our daughters and to keep them posted. I was lucky enough to just about get it to the "finish line" to keep them all informed. In the end, and I love the device as much as anyone, it's supposed to be a phone. The AT&T coverages issues and a tempermental battery life could give someone else pause.

PS. Wife appears to be ok. Thank God.

 

[LoveMickey]

I read through this thread before and now I'm trying to find the area where they talk about iPod issues. I got to page 35 and got frustrated.

This morning my iPod worked fine. Now I do not have any internet access. I'm getting network error on any application trying to connect, ie weather channel, face book, email, safari.

Can someone help?

Leaving on vaca on Wed so I'm almost in panic mode.

Thanks in advance.

 

[sarahsar]

I read through this thread before and now I'm trying to find the area where they talk about iPod issues. I got to page 35 and got frustrated.

This morning my iPod worked fine. Now I do not have any internet access. I'm getting network error on any application trying to connect, ie weather channel, face book, email, safari.

Can someone help?

Leaving on vaca on Wed so I'm almost in panic mode.

Thanks in advance.

A couple of questions - are you trying to get on your home network? Are other wired devices able to connect okay? Are other wireless devices able to connect okay? Does your iPod seem to be detecting a wireless network (shows the little fan on the upper left hand side of the screen)?

If your network seems to be fine, I would first try turning WiFi on your iPod off and on again (go to Settings/WiFi).

If that doesn't work, next try rebooting your iPod. To do that, hold the power button and the home button down. A red bar will appear on the screen saying slide to turn off. Don't slide it - just keep holding until the device shuts off all the way. Then push the power button to turn it back on. It will take a while to reboot.

If that doesn't work, next try resetting your network settings. To do that, go to Settings/General/Reset/Reset Network Settings. When you do this, you will have to re-enter information for any networks you have connected to (passwords, etc.) You then will set it up again as you did initially, and hopefully this time it will connect normally.

Good luck! Let us know how it goes!

 

[LoveMickey]

Thanks for the info. Apparently there was an issue with AT&T and I'm all set as of this am.

thanks again.

 

[luke]

Just finished my 18 month contract on my iPhone 3g and am in no rush to get a 3gs when there'll likely be a new one out this month!

So, I "downgraded" my contract so now I'm on a month by month contract, paying £20 per month (roughly $30) for which I get 700 minutes worth of calls to any phone, 1200 SMS messages and unlimited data!! Seeing as how I was paying £45 (around $65) per month for roughly the same I think I'm onto a winner!

And when the new iPhone comes out I can simply upgrade to it on release day

 

[luke]

Just finished my 18 month contract on my iPhone 3g and am in no rush to get a 3gs when there'll likely be a new one out this month!

So, I "downgraded" my contract so now I'm on a month by month contract, paying £20 per month (roughly $30) for which I get 700 minutes worth of calls to any phone, 1200 SMS messages and unlimited data!! Seeing as how I was paying £45 (around $65) per month for roughly the same I think I'm onto a winner!

And when the new iPhone comes out I can simply upgrade to it on release day

 

[nedac]

Just finished my 18 month contract on my iPhone 3g and am in no rush to get a 3gs when there'll likely be a new one out this month!

So, I "downgraded" my contract so now I'm on a month by month contract, paying £20 per month (roughly $30) for which I get 700 minutes worth of calls to any phone, 1200 SMS messages and unlimited data!! Seeing as how I was paying £45 (around $65) per month for roughly the same I think I'm onto a winner!

And when the new iPhone comes out I can simply upgrade to it on release day

I seriously doubt there will be a new iphone this month... before june? Its possible, this month? Highly unlikely.