Since the iPhone's introduction, people have been using the built-in camera for more than quick snapshots. Some have taken macro shots, used it as a webcam or even created high art (OK, so that last one was a bug).
Another popular practice is to use it to generate to-do lists and even as a scanner. People have taken photos of things they need to buy or remember to do. Others have sent snapshots of business cards, receipts, etc. into applications like iPhoto and Evernote.
That's clever, but getting a legible image of your documents is difficult. Enter the iPhone Document Scanner. This device positions the iPhone and document to be "scanned" at the perfect distance and ensures a steady hand. If you're a Ponko member, you can download a free .eps file of the plans to build your own.
We knew Apple put the camera on the back for a reason! Thanks, Baptiste!
Dedicated runners, bikers, hikers, and walkers like to keep track of their efforts, dutifully logging miles (or kilometers), time, weather conditions, elevation gain or loss. That's why there was a lot of excitement after the Nike + iPod Sport Kit was announced in 2006, since the same device you were using to listen to music could be used to tell you just how far and fast you ran.
Unfortunately, many competitive runners quickly realized that the accuracy of the Nike + iPod Sport Kit wasn't all that great. TidBITS Publisher and marathoner Adam Engst wrote a post last year in which he pointed out how inaccurate the Sport Kit is, even when carefully calibrated. Adam thought that the Sport Kit had some possibilities for fitness runners, but not for those who need accurate measurements of distance and time.
When the iPhone 3G arrived this summer, I wondered how it would work as an exercise tracking tool. After all, the device has GPS built in and should be able to accurately measure distances, time, and even elevation. I looked at
Trailguru
RunKeeper
The Running GyPSy
iTrail
To see how these apps and the Nike + iPod Sport Kit compete, read on.
See what I did there? Eh? Eh? Magnetic! As in this product from iStik(warning: annoying loud background music) which uses neodymium magnets that let you attach it to workout shirts, jacket pockets, or your backpack.
Of course, neodymium magnets are very strong, and can damage hard disks. It works fine with the iPod nano's flash memory, however. You also might want to avoid wearing the iStik on your shirt front if you have a pacemaker or other cardiac device.
iStik is $25 for the second-generation iPod nano, and $27 for the third-generation "fat" nano. Terrible magnet jokes sold separately.
According to a Knowledge Base article posted last week, Apple is now replacing (free of charge) frayed, discolored and deformed MagSafe power adapters for MacBook and MacBook Pro.
But -- and there's always a but -- they will only replace it if there's no sign of "abuse." So if you've been doing the right thing and holding the hard plastic connector to disconnect the cable, you might not have to pay another $80 for a new power adapter.
If your connector looks like the one pictured, and has been babied its entire life, then take it back to an Apple-Authorized Service Provider or an Apple retail store for an evaluation and replacement. It doesn't matter if the warranty has expired.
Also -- bonus points for the greeked copy at the bottom of Knowledge Base article page. I'm sure that counts for a shot in some obscure Apple website drinking game.
From the "really strange looking iPhone accessories" department, we present for your inspection the mobile.brando.com.hk Apple iPhone 3G Mobile Phone Telescope. Dave mentioned this in passing a few days ago, but since Engadget noted it today we went back and took a closer look. This product definitely wins the TUAW award for the longest name for an iPhone add-on. In case you're wondering what the function of this device is, the website says it all -- "Overcome the short coming of camera cellphone that can only near-sighted, it also makes distant view for you at the moment."
The idea is to take this plastic "crystal" case, put it on your iPhone 3G, and then put the telescope onto the case. This gives your iPhone a 6X telephoto lens. But it does more! Once again, from the website -- "The new design to run of rays can effectively avoid the contortion of image, and makes the super wide angle, the larger luminous flux, the higher visual acuteness, good for color reduction, which makes the high quality of photography."
Huh?
If you really need a telephoto lens for your iPhone 3G and don't mind the abuse from friends, you can order one for the bargain price of US$19 plus shipping. For more mind-boggling details or to order the telescope, click the Read link below.
TUAW's going Back to School! We'll be bringing you tips and reviews for students, parents and teachers right up until the bell rings in September. Read on for nifty supplies for any student.
Today only, RadTech is offering 20 percent off regularly-priced backpacks, cases, laptop bags and sleeves, including bags with photovoltaic cells to help charge your electronic devices. Solar panels on the bag can provide up to four watts of power for your iPod or phone.
Make sure to use the promo code SCHOOL88 when you check out to take advantage of the offer.
So textbooks and gas shot your budget for a shiny-new iPhone 3G? We feel for ya, with your old-and-busted first-gen iPhone, nano, Airport Extreme and shiny new MacBook. What, you don't have all that either? Pity. Tell you what, we'll give you a bunch of accessories for those items instead, OK?
Courtesy of Dr. Bott, you could win an entire bag of cases and other goodies. Just for fun we're throwing in the Dr. Bott bag itself-- because we really think you could use a pick-me-up.
Specifically, the goodies in the bag are:
Marware's C.E.O. Premiere for iPhone (original, not 3G), a clip-on sideways case for your hip
Griffin's Streamline sport armband for the latest rev of the iPod nano
H-Squared's Air Mount, so you can attach an Airport Extreme to your wall
A copy of the Stationery Pack from Equinux, so your emails to home (begging for cash, no doubt) will look pretty
A copy of MacFamilyTree, so you can figure out who to email (and beg for cash)
To enter, let us know what your favorite subject or class is (or was). Sorry, this giveaway is limited to the US and everywhere in Canada but Quebec. Good luck!
Gallery: Back-to-school giveaway, cases and more
Da rules:
Open to legal residents of the 50 United States, the District of Columbia and Canada (excluding Quebec) who are 18 and older.
To enter, leave a comment below telling us your favorite subject or class in school.
The comment must be left before August 19, 11:59PM Eastern Time.
You may enter once. Duplicate entries will not be counted.
One winner will be selected in a random drawing.
Prizes:
Marware's C.E.O. Premiere for iPhone ($35)
Griffin's Streamline sport armband for the latest rev of the iPod nano ($30)
Although the iPhone and iPod touch were designed with your finger in mind, for those who have trouble controlling the screen (or who have long, styled fingernails), there is the iPhone Japanese Touch Stylus.
The stylus has a flexible tip that mimics your finger's capacitive ability to control the objects on the screen. The tip is flexible, allowing for easy dragging without gouging your screen. It also includes a handy SIM eject tool.
The stylus is imported from Japan, and is available in silver or black. Both colors are $14.99 from ThinkGeek.
The Eye-Fi card is an SD card with a difference -- it has Wi-Fi built into it for easy camera-to-internet transfer of photos. It comes in three different flavors; Eye-Fi Home, Eye-Fi Share, and Eye-Fi Explore. The latter card (US$129) includes free Wi-Fi access at Wayport hotspots, unlimited geotagging using Skyhook Wireless (the same service Apple and Google use for location data on pre-3G iPhones and iPod touch handhelds), and an unlimited WebShare service for sharing photos.
Eye-Fi and SmugMug (an online photo sharing site) announced a partnership providing a year of geotagging and hotspot access for SmugMug members using an original Eye-Fi Card or the $US99.99 Eye-Fi Share. SmugMug provides standard (US$39.95 annually), power user (US$59.95 annually) and professional ($149.95 annually) accounts, all of which provide ad-free, backed-up, and secure hosting of your photos.
Do you use an Eye-Fi card with your digital camera? If you do, what service do you upload your photos to, and do you use the geotagging capability? Leave us a comment.
This thing is right up there with the iPod sex toy and toilet paper dispenser. The Steve Jobs iPhone Dock features a plastic bobble-head doll of Mr. Jobs, gesturing elegantly (as elegantly as a plastic doll can gesture) towards your docked and charging iPhone. Unlike many cool bobble-head dolls (including those that are life-sized), this thing says, "I'm a fanboy of legendary status." Expect your friends to treat you accordingly.
Originally intended to be a one-off piece, the scuptor has put four up for sale on Ebay. Impress your geek friends and scare away potential dates with one of your own.
If there's anything I've learned about the iPhone 3G since July 11th, it's that the battery life is horrible. If I'm just texting and making the occasional call, I can survive for a day, but if I try to play games or use 3G I know it's going to go to the dreaded red battery icon quickly.
That's why there are a growing number of manufacturers who have extended battery packs for the iPhone on the market. For example, I looked at the Kensington Mini Battery Pack and Charger (US$49.99), but the website doesn't show that it works with the iPhone 3G.
My next choice was the Richard | Solo Smart Backup Battery. This US$49.95 lithium-ion battery pack has saved me from running out of juice prematurely more than once!
MacRumors speculates on the possibility of Apple releasing updated Cinema displays at next year's Macworld Expo. According to the post, the new displays could incorporate the LED backlight technology that Apple has started building into their 15" MacBook Pros.
MacRumors notes that LED backlit displays going into the 30" range tend to be more expensive than Apple's current 30" Cinema display. However, if this is true, it would be a nice change from Apple's 2004 design of the current Cinema displays. There is no word yet on if the new displays would include the iSight camera.
Electronista reports on a patent filing for an iPhone/iPod touch dock that could allow you to both charge and play video in landscape mode, simultaneously. The patent was filed on September 5, 2007 -- near the time of the iPod touch debut. The so-called "dock" looks more like the tiny holder that ships with the iPod touch, with the exception of a dock connector plugged in.
Apple does, however, file patents that it might not ever use -- as do most other companies. What do you think? Could this be a new dock design, or is it the patent for the included iPod touch stand?
If you're like me, then you have multiple Macs with IR sensors in the same room. What happens when you push the menu button on your Apple remote? Chances are it will launch Front Row on every Mac in the room. I had this problem until I discovered Apple remote pairing.
To pair your remote with a specific Mac or Apple TV, just hold down the menu and the next (fast forward) buttons for 5 seconds making sure you're within 5 inches of the IR sensor on the device.
You can unpair a remote by going into System Preferences (Apple menu > System Preferences) and click security. From the Security System Preference pane, select the "Unpair" button at the bottom the preference pane.
Lastly, you can disable the use of remotes all together. To do this, head back to the Security System Preference pane and click the check box labeled "Disable remote control infrared receiver." This will keep rogue remotes away from your Mac.
Two intrepidusers have found a simple way to mod their old iPhone docks to work with iPhone 3G: a rotary tool.
All it takes, apparently, is grinding away about a millimeter of the plastic where the back of the iPhone 3G rests against the dock. A rotary tool with a tapered grinding bit appears to work the best, as it avoids touching the dock connector.
It might not have exactly the fit and finish of a new dock, but hey, the price is right if you already have the tools.
Since the iPhone's introduction, people have been using the built-in camera for more than quick snapshots. Some have taken macro shots, used it as a webcam or even created high art (OK, so that last one was a bug). 
Dedicated runners, bikers, hikers, and walkers like to keep track of their efforts, dutifully logging miles (or kilometers), time, weather conditions, elevation gain or loss. That's why there was a lot of excitement after the 
See what I did there? Eh? Eh? Magnetic! As in this product from 
According to a 
From the "really strange looking iPhone accessories" department, we present for your inspection the 
TUAW's going 
Although the iPhone and iPod touch were designed with your finger in mind, for those who have trouble controlling the screen (or who have long, styled fingernails), there is the 
The 
This thing is right up there with the 
MacRumors 
If you're like me, then you have multiple Macs with IR sensors in the same room. What happens when you push the menu button on your Apple remote? Chances are it will launch Front Row on every Mac in the room. I had this problem until I discovered Apple remote pairing. 
Two 
