Last week, Kaiser Permanente released a new app for Android and iPhone devices that will allow its patients to access their own medication information and records through a mobile-optimized website. Kaiser has the largest electronic medical record system in the world, with 9 million Kaiser Permanente patients.

In a press release, the health care organization wrote that “patients will have 24/7 access to lab results, diagnostic information, direct and secure email access to their doctors, and will also be able to order prescription refills”.

Being able to access medical records can be a huge advantage to patients, particularly the elderly, carers and patients with chronic conditions who need to get updates on lab results, fill prescriptions and communicate with the doctor’s office.

The Android app contains sections for medical records, pharmacy center, appointment center, message center, and a Kaiser location facility finder. Your secure, electronic medical record includes your health history, information about allergies and immunizations, details about prescriptions and any ongoing health conditions, health care reminders, and most test results.

The app for the iPhone has not been released yet, but users can in the meantime access their records on a mobile-optimized version of kp.org and save the site as a shortcut icon to their iPhone device.

Kaiser said that in “2011 alone, more than 68 million lab test results were made available online to Kaiser Permanente patients. The mobile-optimized site and the new app make that information, and much more, securely available at members’ fingertips”.

Source: Marketwatch

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Valve’s ever-popular content delivery platform Steam has taken its first steps into the mobile world with the launch of two apps for iOS and Android users. Despite both being available for anyone to download on the App Store and Android Market, Valve have so far only allowed a small number of users use the service.

Currently in beta, both apps provide quick access to  friend statuses, chat and the store front where games can be purchased using saved credentials. In addition to this there is a “Friend Activity” area that logs purchases, achievements and other events and news sections for updates from blogs and Valve themselves.

As it stands these news sections are pretty bare, but the game catalogue is complete and fully functional, allowing for the purchase of full titles from your Android or iOS device. Valve’s president and co-founder, Gabe Newell, said:

“Seeing which of your friends are online and playing a game, sending quick messages, looking at screenshots for an upcoming game, or catching a sale — these are all features customers have requested. Mobile is changing way people interact, play games and consume media, and the Steam app is part of our commitment to meet customer demands and expand the service functionality of Steam.”

Don’t worry if you’re not in the beta just yet, simply by downloading one of the apps and logging in (as well as providing the Steam Guard code sent to your email address) Valve will add you to the list of users awaiting beta entry.

If you’ve been lucky enough to get beta access already then let us know what you think!

Download: Steam for iOS @ App Store
Download: Steam for Android @ Android Market

Source: Steam

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class="align-right" src="http://main.makeuseoflimited.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/12/avastandroidthumb.jpg?323f2c" alt="" />There are plenty of free mobile security apps available for Android. The market seems to be filled to the brim with them. Yet it’s hard to say if they’re trustworthy because often they’re developed by companies that don’t have a reputation.

Fortunately, there’s now one more trustworthy free mobile security app on the market. It comes from Avast!, a company that has managed to successfully spread its name by offering a robust href="http://www.makeuseof.com/tag/ten-best-antivirus-programs/">free anti-virus solution for the PC.

class="aligncenter" src="http://main.makeuseoflimited.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/12/avastmobilesecurity1.jpg?323f2c" alt="" width="288" height="512" />

Avast!’s entry into the Android market is not a surprise, href="http://www.makeuseof.com/tag/avast-working-android-app-offer-extra-features-rooted-phones-news/">as they leaked details of their upcoming app back in June. The features available are competitive with other free security solutions. There’s anti-virus protection, a web shield that warns users of URLs known to contain malware, anti-theft features including phone location and SIM card change notification, and a “stealth mode” that hides the security app from prying eyes.

Perhaps the most interesting feature of all is the href="http://www.makeuseof.com/tag/7-top-firewall-programs-computers-security/">firewall that is available to users who own a rooted phone. There are not a lot of firewall options for Android, so this feature sets the app apart from many competitors.

href="https://market.android.com/details?id=com.avast.android.mobilesecurity#?t=W251bGwsMSwxLDIxMiwiY29tLmF2YXN0LmFuZHJvaWQubW9iaWxlc2VjdXJpdHkiXQ..">Avast!  Mobile Security is free, and there’s no paid version available. You’ll need a device with Android 2.1 or better to run it.

Source: href="http://www.androidguys.com/2011/12/30/avast-free-mobile-security-is-here" rel="nofollow">Android Guys

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class="align-right" src="http://main.makeuseoflimited.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/12/iphone.png?323f2c" alt="mobile phone culture" />The title="3 Free iPhone Games That Are Too Good To Be Free" href="http://www.makeuseof.com/tag/3-free-iphone-games-good-free/">mobile phone is amazing, and I can’t really bash it. How cool is it that we live in an age where almost everyone has a title="Check Out These 6 Sci-Fi Wikis To Kill Some Time On" href="http://www.makeuseof.com/tag/check-6-scifi-wikis-kill-time/">Star Trek communicator in their hip pocket? (Now if only we could have phasers.)

However, sometimes even the coolest inventions in the world bring negative impacts, and although it doesn’t take away from how great these inventions are, it is our irresponsibility that puts a bad mark on them. So let’s take a look at how mobile phone culture has ruined the world.

We Have Gotten Lazy

class="aligncenter" style="border: 0pt none;" src="http://main.makeuseoflimited.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/12/foulbachelorfrog.png?323f2c" alt="mobile phone culture" width="580" height="577" />

It’s true, isn’t it? The mobile phone isn’t just a way to communicate to people. Oh no. It’s your go-to device for everything. You can shop online stores, map out trips, and read the news all from one device. Heck, with the right armchair that’s near an electrical outlet, you would never have to even leave your seat.

What I am getting at is that we tend to become very dependent on our phones. When’s the last time that you actually mapped out a trip? How often do you use your mobile phone as a title="A Variety Of Calculator Apps For Both Basic & Advanced Calculations [iPad]" href="http://www.makeuseof.com/tag/variety-calculator-apps-basic-advanced-calculations-ipad/">calculator. Have you ever tried figuring out the time using only the sun? Don’t get too defensive, for it’s true that we should use technology to make our lives easier, and I recognize that. However, we mustn’t forget our roots in the event that technology ever fails us.

We Have Given Up Privacy

class="aligncenter" style="border: 0pt none;" src="http://main.makeuseoflimited.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/12/annoyingfacebookgirl.png?323f2c" alt="mobile culture" width="580" height="580" />

No longer can you have a moment to yourself in this day and age. If you ignore a phone call and post something on Facebook from your phone right after, the person who called is going to see it, and said person  could quite likely become offended (which is kind of silly when you think about it). I am curious as to when we decided it was okay to let everyone know exactly where we are. Technically, there’s nothing wrong with it, but I would consider it to be a faux pas in the category of societal evolution.

Using apps such as title="How To Check Into Events Using Foursquare" href="http://www.makeuseof.com/tag/check-events-foursquare/">Foursquare, title="Facebook Integrates Deals Into Their Mobile Places Platform [News]" href="http://www.makeuseof.com/tag/facebook-integrates-deals-mobile-places-platform-news/">Facebook, and title="Important Tips on How to Use Twitter Like a Pro" href="http://www.makeuseof.com/tag/tips-how-to-twitter-like-a-pro/">Twitter, we have successfully made the world our mother, letting it know where we are going, who we are going with, and what exactly we are doing while we are there. I’ve been told by a reader that I have missed the point of social networking, but wouldn’t sharing valuable information such as worldwide, local, and even personal news be a more proper way to utilize social networking? By constantly sharing our location (keyword is “constantly”), we set ourselves up for an title="5 Things You Need To Stop Posting On Facebook" href="http://www.makeuseof.com/tag/5-stop-posting-facebook/">invasion of privacy.

We Have Also Become Too Private

class="aligncenter" style="border: 0pt none;" src="http://main.makeuseoflimited.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/12/foreveralone.png?323f2c" alt="mobile culture" width="580" height="488" />

Ironically, in this supposedly open source world, it seems as though that as soon as we get away from the computer, we become a title="3 Ways You’ve Sold Your Soul To The Internet" href="http://www.makeuseof.com/tag/3-ways-sold-soul-internet/">privacy-hungry individual. Granted, I do not have a solid foundation for this argument – it’s merely an opinion and currently based upon experience – but how often do you find yourself avoiding face-to-face interaction these days? Surely there will be one of you who comments on here, “Joshua, I don’t have a problem at all with talking to people face-to-face,” and to that, I say good for you.

However, there are people who do struggle with this due to mobile phone culture, and you must recognize that I do not believe all my points apply to everyone. I do ask this – how many people do you know that would rather send a text message than make a phone call? There is something troublesome about a human being more open to an electronic device than a fellow human being.

We Have Forgotten Social Skills

class="aligncenter" style="border: 0pt none;" src="http://main.makeuseoflimited.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/12/sociallyawkwardpenguin1.png?323f2c" alt="mobile phone culture" width="580" height="580" />

Moving on along with this privacy nonsense, I believe that we can assume that all the former rules of privacy have been turned around into something totally unrecognizable. We don’t mind title="4 Reasons I Don’t Like Twitter And Why I Joined Anyway [Opinion]" href="http://www.makeuseof.com/tag/4-reasons-twitter-joined-opinion/">Tweeting that we’re about to use the toilet, but we refuse to say much more than “hello” to a friend on the street.

Furthermore, we tend to make the world our place for private conversations, venturing out into public and having loud discussions that would have made my grandmother blush – alas, the death of the phone booth. The street, dear people, is not a place to have conversations about your sexual frustrations, your diarrhea, or your most recent hit-and-run victim. Save that for at home. Or the car. Somewhere else. Anywhere, really.

Conclusion

It’s very easy to communicate using only text on a screen, and even though actual voice conversations are more closely related to face-to-face interaction, it’s just not the same as two people connecting with each other.

I don’t think we should stop using mobile phones, and with that being said, I don’t think we should stop using social networking or fancy apps that let us order a pizza online. We’re residing in the future, and we should live it up as much as possible! However, there’s something that we need to retain in this mobile phone culture – our humanity.

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class="align-right" src="http://main.makeuseoflimited.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/11/gomo-icon.png" alt="" />How does your website look on mobile devices? Google’s new service, How To Go Mo, gives you a chance to find out, and teaches you a lot about mobile websites in the meantime.

Every month more people start using the Internet on their phone. This means an ever-increasing amount of web traffic is through mobile browsers.

If you’re a web developer, or responsible for a website, this is something you need to know. The href="http://www.makeuseof.com/tags/iphone/">iPhone and href="http://www.makeuseof.com/tags/android/">Android browsers display websites differently than their desktop equivalents. For one thing, they are by nature smaller. For another, they don’t support the same technology. If your site relies heavily on Flash, for example, it is broken on the iPhone. If your site features very small text, it’s probably a pain to read on a phone.

It’s for this reason that Google wants web developers and website owners to start “Going Mo.” Their initiative for doing so, href="http://www.howtogomo.com/en/#homepage">can visit here, includes a lot of great resources for the job.

Lots of information

Get to this site and the first thing you’ll see is information, arranged in a brilliant interactive design similar to Google’s href="http://www.20thingsilearned.com/en-US">20 things I learned about browsers and the web. Explore this site and you’ll be convinced: mobile sites are an essential part of every website’s future.

class="aligncenter" style="border: 0pt none;" src="http://main.makeuseoflimited.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/11/gomo-slideshow.png" alt="" width="580" height="266" />

There’s more than that here, though. You will find a case study, wherein Google invested to get businesses in Mobile, Alabama set up with mobile websites. You’ll find a list of best practices for setting up a mobile site. You’ll find case studies for complex implementations of mobile websites. I could go on, but you really should explore this resource to see what it offers.

This is only a test

Another feature: you can see how your website looks on a mobile browser, even if you don’t own a mobile yourself. The preview is limited, in that you can’t explore you mobile site in your browser, but it’s still a great way to see what your mobile viewers’ first impression is.

class="aligncenter" style="border: 0pt none;" src="http://main.makeuseoflimited.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/11/gomo-test.png" alt="" width="580" height="212" />

Once you see your preview you’ll have the opportunity to fill in a survey. These questions give you a chance to think about the quality of mobile experience you’re offering, and give you feedback regarding the types of changes you should consider making to your site.

class="aligncenter" style="border: 0pt none;" src="http://main.makeuseoflimited.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/11/gomo-results.png" alt="" width="559" height="307" />

Useful for designers

So who is this useful for? Anyone who owns a website. The mobile web isn’t going away anytime soon, so you might as well get your website up and running with it.

If you’re a web designer this is also a useful tool for you, particularly if you want to get into the business of mobilizing existing websites. Send potential clients this link and they will learn all about the reasons going mobile is a good idea, making it more likely they’ll hire you for the job.

Oh, and if you get a job from that, and the site happens to be WordPress based, I highly recommend you check out href="http://www.makeuseof.com/tag/wordpress-blog-mobilefriendly-wptouch/">wp-touch, a tool for making WordPress sites compatible with mobile browsers. It’s easy to use; I set it up on href="http://justinpot.com">JustinPot.com and think it works quite well.

Conclusion

Google’s “How To Go Mo” site is a wealth of information, and the testing feature is a nice addition. I hope it’s useful for you, but let me know if it’s not. I’ll be hanging out in the comments below.

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class="align-right" src="http://main.makeuseoflimited.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/11/0_etsy.jpg" alt="etsy for mobile" />The Holiday href="http://www.makeuseof.com/tags/shopping/">shopping season is upon us, so you know what that means. Troves of people are going to be flooding stores around the country and (hopefully) giving our economy a little boost with all the sales that they make in the process.

What are you heading out to buy this year? Electronics? Clothes? Depending on who you’re shopping for, maybe you’re looking for something unique or interesting. Well, if you happen to be interested in vintage or one-of-a-kind handmade goods, I think I just may be able to save you a trip to the store.

In this article, I’m going to show you how you can utilize href="http://www.makeuseof.com/tag/etsy-alternative-ebay-hand-products/">Etsy for your mobile device. Mobile shopping is sure to be a hit this year, so luckily for you, browsing your favorite handmade goods site just got easier.

What Is Etsy?

If you’re unfamiliar with Etsy, href="http://www.etsy.com/">the website, then allow me to take this opportunity to get you up to speed. Or read href="http://www.makeuseof.com/tag/etsy-alternative-ebay-hand-products/">Ryan’s excellent summary from last year.

class="aligncenter" src="http://main.makeuseoflimited.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/11/1_etsy.jpg" alt="etsy for mobile" width="336" height="481" />

Etsy is “the world’s handmade marketplace”. It’s an e-commerce site that is focused entirely on handmade or vintage items and art and craft supplies. Items cover a wide range, including art, photography, clothing, jewelry, edibles, beauty products, knick-knacks, etc. All vintage items must be at least 20 years old, and range from old boats and ice skates to dresses, hats, and scarves. Sellers also have personal storefronts where they list their goods, not unlike how Amazon or eBay functions.

Whether you’re already a longtime fan of Etsy or I’ve just introduced you to your new favorite shopping site, you should be pleased to know that your experience with this site just got a whole lot easier, because Etsy has gone mobile.

class="aligncenter" src="http://main.makeuseoflimited.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/11/2_etsy.jpg" alt="mobile etsy" width="335" height="483" />

By visiting the mobile site or using the new iPhone app ( href="http://www.etsy.com/mobile">more information on both here) you can now buy directly from independent, creative businesses, and explore over 11 million unique (and I mean unique) items from small businesses all over the world.

Etsy’s iPhone App

The href="http://itunes.apple.com/app/etsy/id477128284?mt=8">Etsy app for iPhone gives you one-touch access to all of the items I’ve mentioned above. Overall, the app integrates well with your cart, favorites, purchase history, and shop, which really gives you most of the functionality you would have if you visited the website.

As a buyer, you can search for handmade/vintage items, browse Treasury Lists, and make purchases right from your mobile device. Etsy’s search function works really well, also. If you search for “dresses”, for instance, you’ll get a lot of listings that you can scroll through and filter by location, price, relevance, or most recent.

class="aligncenter" src="http://main.makeuseoflimited.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/11/3_etsy.jpg" alt="etsy for mobile" width="335" height="480" />

The app also incorporates social sharing features. You can share items you find via Twitter, Facebook, email, or SMS. The app encourages you to sign in with your Etsy account so that you can favorite items and add them to your cart.

If you’re a seller, you can access your listings and latest orders, as well as use merchant tools to manage your business more easily.

Conclusion

I think coming out with a mobile solution for users just in time for the Holiday shopping season was a really smart move for Etsy, who should definitely see additional sales being made because of the ease of use of this new app. Now users can shop on Etsy from anywhere, even from another store that they also happen to be shopping at. How useful!

What do you think about Etsy’s new app and mobile e-commerce?

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class="align-right" src="http://main.makeuseoflimited.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/11/iOS5-300.jpg" alt="ios operating system" />Learn all about iOS 5, the latest operating system for the iPhone, iPad and iPod Touch. If you’ve upgraded but aren’t sure what’s new, or are considering upgrading but want to know what you’re getting into, this manual from Lachlan Roy is what you looking for: “Using iOS: Your Guide to the Latest and Greatest Mobile Operating System.”

When Apple released the iPhone back in 2007, it was different to anything else on the market. It wasn’t the first touchscreen phone, but it was the first one to be so pretty. But as gorgeous as the hardware was, that wasn’t what made the iPhone so great, or what shook the cellphone industry. It was the software which made the iPhone what it was.

Now iOS 5 has been released, providing updates, tweaks and brand new features to make the iPhone, iPod Touch and iPad even better and easier to use than before. Want to know what it brings to the table? Download this manual to find out.

style="text-align: center;"> href="http://www.makeuseof.com/pages/using-ios-your-guide-to-the-latest-and-greatest-mobile-operating-system">DOWNLOAD Using iOS: Your Guide to the Latest and Greatest Mobile Operating System

style="text-align: center;">The guide is free but password-protected. Gain access to the guide by:

style="text-align: center;">1- subscribing to our newsletter (you may do this on the download page itself, link above). Existing subscribers will receive the password via email in the next couple of hours.

style="text-align: center;">OR

style="text-align: center;">2. Simply share the guide on Facebook, Twitter or Google+ on the download page. Quick and easy.

 

class="aligncenter" src="http://main.makeuseoflimited.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/11/iOS5-3page.jpg" alt="ios operating system" width="580" height="270" />

Download this free MakeUseOf guide to learn:

• What iOS 5 is, and which devices you can use it on.
• New features in iOS 5, from reminders to Twitter integration.
• Mastering the new, Android-style dashboard.
• Using the new messaging to send texts for free over WiFi, even from an iPod touch.
• Device-specific features, such as Siri.
• iCloud: what it is and what it does.

style="text-align: center;"> href="http://www.makeuseof.com/pages/using-ios-your-guide-to-the-latest-and-greatest-mobile-operating-system">DOWNLOAD Using iOS: Your Guide to the Latest and Greatest Mobile Operating System

style="text-align: center;">The guide is free but password-protected. Gain access to the guide by:

style="text-align: center;">1- subscribing to our newsletter (you may do this on the download page itself, link above). Existing subscribers will receive the password via email in the next couple of hours.

style="text-align: center;">OR

style="text-align: center;">2. Simply share the guide on Facebook, Twitter or Google+ on the download page. Quick and easy.

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class="align-right" src="http://main.makeuseoflimited.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/08/cat_mobile.jpg" alt="" />New research class="vt-p" href="http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-14401476">has suggested that British people are becoming even more addicted to their mobile phones, with more than half of adults and two-thirds of teenagers saying that “they have used their smartphone while socializing with others”.  But according to class="vt-p" href="http://www.telenav.com/about/pr-summer-travel/report-20110803.html">our new infographic, across the pond, American mobile users love their phones even more with one third saying they would rather give up sex than part with their phone (there’s always Internet porn right?)

66% of those questioned said they sleep with their phone next to them (I can identify with that) and 28% of iPhone users would rather not see their “significant other” for a week instead of giving up their phone.

Can you identify with any of these stats?  Would you give up sex in favour of your mobile phone?  Would you sacrifice partners because of your iPhone?  Do you sleep with an Android in your bed?  Let us know in the comments.

class="vt-p" href="http://digg.makeuseof.com.s3.amazonaws.com/infographic_phonewars_lrg.jpg"> src="http://main.makeuseoflimited.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/08/infographic_phonewars_lrg.jpg" alt="" />

Infographic via rel="nofollow" href="http://www.telenav.com/about/pr-summer-travel/report-20110803.html">Telenav, Image Credit : rel="nofollow" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/kazatzka/255283275/in/photostream">Kazatzka

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class="align-right" src="http://main.makeuseoflimited.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/08/Snappr-300x300.png" alt="" />You’ve probably noticed that nowadays the world is buzzing with citizen journalism. Whenever there’s civil unrest, accidents, celebrities and other news to be noted there often seems to be an average Joe with a phone camera on hand ready to record the event far sooner than any photo journalists or reporters. Maybe you’ve even done this on occasion yourself. If you saw something newsworthy like riots or some extreme weather, would you be taking photos and sharing them online? That would make you a citizen journalist – at least for the day.

But what happens when you don’t have Internet access on your phone? Maybe you’re outside your home country and haven’t paid for roaming Internet access? Maybe in your home country, Internet access isn’t really affordable? Maybe you don’t have a smartphone? There’s plenty of reasons this situation might come up. How do you share the pictures then? Here’s where class="vt-p" href="http://snappr.eu/">Snappr comes in. You can upload pictures to Twitter using Snappr and MMS on your phone.

What Is Snappr?

Essentially, class="vt-p" href="http://snappr.eu/">Snappr is the bridge between your phone, Twitpic and Twitter. It allows you to send an MMS photo to Snappr, which then forwards it on to Twitpic for you. Twitpic then posts it on your Twitter account for you, getting that photo out there where people can see it pretty much instantly.

class="aligncenter" src="http://main.makeuseoflimited.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/08/Snappr-Splash.png" alt="" />

All this is done without the need for you to have a phone with Internet access, a Twitter application or even a smartphone. If you can send photo messages to people, Snappr will work. All you need to do is make sure you’re signed up with class="vt-p" href="http://www.twitpic.com">Twitpic and you’ve got the details for Snappr ready in your phone before you need them.

Set Up Twitpic

Sign up to class="vt-p" href="http://www.twitpic.com/">Twitpic using your Twitter credentials then check out your class="vt-p" href="http://www.twitpic.com/account/settings/mobile">Twitpic settings to find your secret email address for uploading photos.

class="aligncenter" src="http://main.makeuseoflimited.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/08/Snappr-Twitpic-Email.png" alt="" />

Set Up Snappr

To set up Snappr all you need to do is have the MMS number in your phone – 84433. I’d personally advise that in the contact name you remind yourself of the format for sending messages to Snappr, which we’re about to go through.

Send Photos To Snappr

When you send your photo by MMS to Snappr using the phone number 84433, you need to add in the text of your message the word “PIC” followed by your Twitpic secret email address. If you remind yourself of this in the contact information for Snappr it will make your life easier.

class="aligncenter" src="http://main.makeuseoflimited.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/08/Snappr-Howto.png" alt="" />

Once the MMS photo message has been sent to Snappr with the correct information they will forward it on to Twitpic and it will be in your Twitter updates in no time.

What Else Could You Use?

Well, obviously, if you’ve got Internet access or the ability to send email from your phone there are numerous other ways to do this. But this method could come in handy at times, so it’s worth having it ready.

If you’re interested in tools for low-tech phones or Twitter generally, have a read of these articles:

• class="vt-p" href="http://www.makeuseof.com/tag/low-tech-ways-to-twitter-from-a-cell-phone/">How To Twitter From A Low-Tech Cell Phone
• class="vt-p" href="http://www.makeuseof.com/tag/2-simple-ways-send-audio-tweets-twitter/">2 Really Simple Ways To Send Audio Tweets To Twitter
• class="vt-p" href="http://www.makeuseof.com/tag/how-to-set-up-email-on-a-basic-cell-phone/">How To Set Up Email On A Basic Cell Phone
• class="vt-p" href="http://www.makeuseof.com/tag/regular-cell-phone-smarter-smsmms-data-plan-required-part-1/">How To Make Your Mobile Phone Smarter With SMS/MMS

Have you set up class="vt-p" href="http://snappr.eu/">Snappr yet? You may as well have it ready just in case! When could you have really used something like this in the past?

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class="align-right" src="http://main.makeuseoflimited.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/08/sbux.png" alt="" />With products like class="vt-p" href="http://www.makeuseof.com/tag/square-creates-virtual-wallet-app-realworld-payments-news/">Square and class="vt-p" href="http://www.makeuseof.com/tag/google-introduces-wallet-offers-puts-credit-card-smartphone-news/">Google Wallet, the ability to pay for real-world items using virtual financial institutions is rapidly becoming the most common form of commerce. However, Jonathan Stark, a mobile application consultant, has a new take on this concept of class="vt-p" href="http://www.makeuseof.com/tag/paypal-mobile-pay-paypal-account/">Internet-fueled trade, and he has brought it to the next level.

As noted class="vt-p" href="http://jonathanstark.com/blog/2011/07/14/broadcasting-mobile-currency">by one of his blog posts, he believes that anyone can broadcast mobile currency for wide individual usage. As an experiment, Stark has published an image of a Starbucks card on the Internet so that people can purchase coffee using it, and whenever they happen to have money, they can put it back on the card. It’s like a village well of espresso, and anyone can drink from it.

Get A Coffee

The premise of class="vt-p" href="http://jonathanstark.com/card/">Jonathan’s Card is fairly simple. If you’re short on cash and need a class="vt-p" href="http://www.makeuseof.com/dir/cofeeseekr-starbucks-coffee-locations/">caffeine kick, just use an image of the card to purchase a cup of coffee at Starbucks. The question is this though – how does it work?

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Stark has published a digital image of the card on his personal website, so all you have to do is download the image to your class="vt-p" href="http://www.makeuseof.com/tags/smartphones/">smartphone, go into your local Starbucks, scan your phone into the class="vt-p" href="http://www.makeuseof.com/tags/barcode/">barcode reader, and after that, voilá – free coffee. As stated by the creator himself, the whole concept is very similar to Italy’s class="vt-p" href="https://www.facebook.com/note.php?note_id=410014862860">“caffé pagato” custom or the trend of “take a penny, leave a penny” in US convenience stores.

class="aligncenter" src="http://main.makeuseoflimited.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/08/Img111.png" alt="" width="580" height="598" />

As an app developer, Stark has implemented scripts to check in on the financial status of the card every fifteen minutes. After checking, the script then publishes the status of the card on its class="vt-p" href="http://www.twitter.com/jonathanscard">Twitter account. The scripted messages simply state how much money is in the account, warn users if the account is getting low, and request money if there isn’t any available at all.

class="aligncenter" src="http://main.makeuseoflimited.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/08/Img121.png" alt="" width="580" height="199" />

class="aligncenter" src="http://main.makeuseoflimited.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/08/Img71.png" alt="" width="580" height="241" />

class="aligncenter" src="http://main.makeuseoflimited.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/08/Img61.png" alt="" width="580" height="273" />

On his class="vt-p" href="http://jonathanstark.com/blog/2011/07/14/broadcasting-mobile-currency/">blog, Stark requests that you limit yourself to drinks that are around $3.00, but as we all know with Starbucks, that might be problematic. For instance, it might be best to grab a tall rather than a venti on your Stark-sponsored visit. He also asks that you publish a class="vt-p" href="http://www.makeuseof.com/tag/adding-pictures-to-your-twitter-stream-with-twitpic-flickr/">picture of you and your drink to class="vt-p" href="http://www.makeuseof.com/tags/twitter/">Twitter, and after that, Stark himself (presumably not the bot) will give you a shout-out tweet.

class="aligncenter" src="http://main.makeuseoflimited.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/08/Img91.png" alt="" width="580" height="538" />

class="aligncenter" src="http://main.makeuseoflimited.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/08/Img131.png" alt="" width="580" height="286" />

Give a Coffee

As you may have gathered, Jonathan’s Card could be fairly exploitable if put in the wrong hands. Just because anyone can put money on the card doesn’t mean anyone actually has do it. Everyone can use the card to purchase a drink anonymously, so there really is no way to have an accountability system, and this could prove to be difficult. Based on one of the card’s class="vt-p" href="http://twitter.com/#!/jonathanscard/status/98110507197796352">tweets, someone once cleaned out the card’s account without even as little as a Twitter picture to contribute – bummer.

class="aligncenter" src="http://main.makeuseoflimited.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/08/Img101.png" alt="" width="580" height="309" />

By all appearances, Stark does his part by occasionally putting money on the card himself and donating coffee to the community. Also, with only about 300 legitimate followers, it can be hard to have a constant flow of money making it to the card. That being said, it is very important for the Jonathan’s Card community to donate money to keep it alive.

class="aligncenter" src="http://main.makeuseoflimited.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/08/Img141.png" alt="" width="580" height="338" />

Basically, if you are feeling generous, just head over to the class="vt-p" href="https://www.starbucks.com/card">Starbucks website, click where it says “reload a card”,  punch in the card number (6061006913522430), and you’ll do a favor for the rest of society by giving whatever you think is a good amount. Furthermore, if you do reload the card, you can tweet Jonathan, and this will merit another shout-out. Else, you could always remain anonymous and enjoy the fact that someone out there is sipping a delicious drink that you helped provide.

class="aligncenter" src="http://main.makeuseoflimited.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/08/Img51.png" alt="" width="580" height="507" />

class="aligncenter" src="http://main.makeuseoflimited.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/08/Img81.png" alt="" width="580" height="316" />

Furthermore, if you wish to contribute and happen to an app developer, you can check out the class="vt-p" href="http://www.makeuseof.com/tag/api-good-technology-explained/">API that Stark provides on the card’s website. Although he has not yet produced an app for the sharing system, there is definitely room for it. Since it is a community project, you could likely help him out by submitting him your ideas or works-in-progress.

class="aligncenter" src="http://main.makeuseoflimited.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/08/Img151.png" alt="" width="580" height="392" />

Conclusion

The concept of Jonathan’s Card is very similar to Pepsi’s futuristic class="vt-p" href="http://www.pepsico.com/PressRelease/PepsiCo-Introduces-Social-Vending-System-the-Next-Generation-in-Interactive-Vend04272011.html">social vending system in which users can purchase drinks for another person who enters a code that is delivered to his or her mobile phone, and based on these two currency broadcasting systems alone, it is highly possible that our world will be seeing a new trend in this social sharing method. Being a writer, I’ll admit that coffee certainly helps me out whenever it is on hand, and Jonathan’s Card is something that I could make use of. As a final note, you can embrace the magic of the card by following  class="vt-p" href="http://www.twitter.com/jonathanscard">@JonathansCard on Twitter.

Have you been able to use Jonathan’s Card? What other similar social sharing systems (even if they are locally based) have you been able to use? Have you tried using Jonathan’s Card with a hard-copy image or even just the code?

Image Credit: class="vt-p" href="http://twitter.com/#!/jonathanscard" rel="nofollow">@JonathansCard

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class="align-right" src="http://main.makeuseoflimited.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/08/0_fbmess.jpg" alt="facebook messenger mobile" />There are two things we all (well, most of us) rely on to keep us connected with our friends, family, and loved ones throughout the day – our phones and class="vt-p" href="http://www.makeuseof.com/tags/facebook/">Facebook. Statistics show that Facebook is still at the very top when it comes to traffic and user retention, and as for mobile phones, well, don’t even get me started.

When it comes down to getting a hold of someone, a simple text or Facebook message will usually do the trick. In fact, we’ve become so reliant on these means of communication that most of us don’t even remember telephone numbers anymore. We still won’t need to, because Facebook class="vt-p" href="http://www.makeuseof.com/tag/facebook-messenger-launches-on-iphone-android-news/">just released Messenger, a new mobile app that simplifies how messaging works.

What Is Messenger?

Remember Beluga? Beluga was/is a nifty group messaging application for iPhone and Android that I class="vt-p" href="http://www.makeuseof.com/tag/beluga-stay-touch-groups-friends-iphoneandroid/">wrote a story on back in early March. It allowed you to quickly create groups to stay in touch with your friends. At the end of my article, I mentioned that I had just seen reports of Facebook acquiring Beluga, which was something we should all keep an eye on in the coming months.

Well, it looks like I was on the right side of history with this one, because the Facebook Messenger mobile app happens to be a combination of Beluga and Facebook Messages.

class="aligncenter" src="http://main.makeuseoflimited.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/08/1_fbmess.jpeg" alt="facebook messenger mobile" width="350" height="583" />

The end result is a standalone app that allows you to quickly message others.

What Does Facebook’s Messenger Bring to the Table?

Since Messenger is an extension of Facebook Messages, all of your conversations are in one place, including your texts, chats, emails and messages. Whether you’re on your phone or on the web, you can see the full history of all your messages.

class="aligncenter" src="http://main.makeuseoflimited.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/08/2_fbmess.jpeg" alt="facebook messenger" width="350" height="583" />

You can use Messenger to reach all of your friends – whether they’re on Facebook or in your phone contacts – just by typing their name. As I said, it is a separate app, so it only takes one click to get to your messages or send a new one, and messages are delivered through notifications and texts.

class="aligncenter" src="http://main.makeuseoflimited.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/08/3_fbmess.jpeg" alt="facebook messenger" width="350" height="583" />

Here are some of Messenger’s top features:

• Message friends, groups of friends, or anyone in your mobile contacts.
• Map your location, find your friends, and make plans on the go.
• Get mobile notifications so you never miss a message.
• Include photos so friends can see what you’re doing

class="aligncenter" src="http://main.makeuseoflimited.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/08/4_fbmess.jpeg" alt="facebook messenger mobile" width="350" height="583" />

Basically, now you can send Facebook messages directly to your friends on their mobile phones, as well as share your location (if you choose to!) and other things like photos, etc.

Where Can I Get Messenger For Mobile?

The easiest way to get Messenger is to head over to class="vt-p" href="http://www.facebook.com/mobile/messenger">Facebook’s official page and click the Get the App button. A box will pop up allowing you to text the link to yourself. Or, if you have an class="vt-p" href="http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/facebook-messenger/id454638411?mt=8#">iPhone or class="vt-p" href="https://market.android.com/details?id=com.facebook.orca">Android device, you can just go straight to their respective pages to download and install the application.

Once installed, you can begin sending messages to your Facebook friends. Those who don’t have the app yet will receive your message via text (This happened to me), and they will be able to respond just like they would for any other normal text message. They will also see a small link that, if visited, takes them to class="vt-p" href="http://m.facebook.com/mobile/messenger/sms">this simple message.

Conclusion

There has been speculation of video conferencing capabilities within Messenger as well ( class="vt-p" href="http://9to5mac.com/2011/08/09/facebooks-messenger-app-hides-a-dirty-little-secret-video-chats/">source), possibly for a future update to the app. It makes sense that Facebook would eventually build this into their messaging platform (Remember class="vt-p" href="http://www.makeuseof.com/tag/facebook-introduces-video-calls-skype-news/">Skype?). I guess we’ll just have to keep an eye on it.

What do you think of this move by Facebook? Are you surprised that they went ahead and built a standalone app for messaging?

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class="align-right" src="http://main.makeuseoflimited.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/06/pogoplugthumb.jpg?54167" alt="" /> class="vt-p" href="http://www.makeuseof.com/tag/3-reasons-why-students-should-be-using-dropbox-as-a-study-tool/">Cloud services have become a popular way to share files with others, and they work well in most situations, making it easy to upload photos or documents and then access them on a variety of devices.

This is not the only way to send files between devices, however. Streaming software such as class="vt-p" href="http://www.pogoplug.com/products-pogoplug-free-software.html">Pogoplug has advantages, such as a lack of storage caps and a simpler user experience, since you don’t have to hassle with local and cloud copies.

Streaming vs. Cloud: What’s The Difference?

class="aligncenter" style="border: 1px solid black;" src="http://main.makeuseoflimited.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/06/pogoplug3.jpg?54167" alt="" width="521" height="295" />

Before I go into detail about Pogoplug, let’s talk about how it’s different from popular and well-established services like class="vt-p" href="http://www.makeuseof.com/tags/dropbox">Dropbox.

Pogoplug does not offer a cloud. At no point do you upload files to a server so they can be downloaded again later. Instead, you create an account when you install the software and then share folders on your PC. Those folders then can be accessed on other devices and computers, and you can share information on those as well, creating a network of computers that share files across the Internet.

As there’s no cloud to upload data to, there’s no monthly storage charge once you go over a certain limit. The storage is all on devices you personally own. You also no longer need to worry about the service possibly being hacked or inaccessible.

Streaming Made Easy

class="aligncenter" src="http://main.makeuseoflimited.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/06/pogoplug2.jpg?54167" alt="" width="570" height="333" />

Once installed, the Pogoplug software is easy to use. The included remote access controls are used to determine what is being shared on your computer. On my class="vt-p" href="http://www.makeuseof.com/tag/two-tools-to-monitor-your-macbooks-battery-mac/">MacBook, for example, my Desktop, Documents, Music, Movies, and Pictures folders were selected by default.

Any folder can be de-selected by removing a check from the appropriate box, and new folders can be added as well. All remote access can be cut off using a big remote access switch on the interface.

Once shared, the files can be accessed using Pogoplug software on any other computer as long as you log into your account. Remember however, that this software depends on access to the various devices sharing information. Unlike a cloud service, this software won’t let you access data from a shared folder if the computer hosting it is turned off.

Pogoplug Mobile Access

One of the greatest advantages of a cloud service is the ability to access information while on the go. Pogoplug replicates this both via a web interface and on your mobile device.

class="aligncenter" style="border: 1px solid black;" src="http://main.makeuseoflimited.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/06/pogoplug1.jpg?54167" alt="" width="462" height="243" />

The web interface is impressive, as it provides access to a wide variety of content and is quite snappy. All of your folders that are shared via your Pogoplug software will be accessible, and the class="vt-p" href="http://www.makeuseof.com/dir/dropmocks-create-picture-gallery-instantly/">Gallery tab lets you view photos as a class="vt-p" href="http://www.makeuseof.com/tag/5-ways-to-create-beautiful-slideshows-of-your-digital-pictures/">slideshow. Those who pay for the class="vt-p" href="http://www.pogoplug.com/products.html">premium account (a $29 one-time fee) will also be able to stream music and video content via this in-browser interface.

Android and iOS users will have access to the same features via the Pogoplug app available for free on each operating system’s respective marketplace. This app provides mobile access to all of your content with the exception of audio and video, which again is restricted to those who have a premium account.

Backup and Printing

Although the ability to stream and share content between devices is the focus of Pogoplug, it does have two other notable features.

One is Active Copy, a simple but useful backup feature. It effectively links two folders together so that their content mirrors one another, making it easy to keep an up-to-date backup of important information on a multiple computers.

Another great extra is online printing, which can be used to send documents to a remote printer connected to a computer running Pogoplug. It’s even possible for friends to share a printer with you, which means you can use their printer while logged into your own account. It’s even possible to print from the Android and iPhone apps.

Conclusion

Pogoplug isn’t a perfect service, but it has definite advantages compared to cloud services. My situation is a great example. I have multiple computers that I need to keep synced, but Dropbox won’t work (for free) because the amount of data I need to sync is in excess of 10GB.

With this alternative, I’m not able to sync when one of my PCs is turned off, but that’s a trade-off I’m willing to make in exchange for the ability to freely transfer a very large volume of data. The Active Copy feature is an excellent way to keep my data backed up, as well.

class="vt-p" href="http://www.pogoplug.com/products-pogoplug-free-software.html">Give it a try and let us know what you think of it in the comments.  Any missing features you would like to see included?

href="http://www.makeuseof.com/tag/share-files-folders-computers-mobile-devices-pogoplug-windows-mac/">Share Files & Folders With Computers & Mobile Devices Using Pogoplug [Windows & Mac] is a post from: href="http://www.makeuseof.com">MakeUseOf

More articles about: href="http://www.makeuseof.com/tags/backup/" title="backup" rel="tag">backup, href="http://www.makeuseof.com/tags/cross-platform/" title="cross platform" rel="tag">cross platform, href="http://www.makeuseof.com/tags/file-sharing/" title="file sharing" rel="tag">file sharing, href="http://www.makeuseof.com/tags/mobile-phones/" title="mobile phones" rel="tag">mobile phones, href="http://www.makeuseof.com/tags/printing/" title="printing" rel="tag">printing, href="http://www.makeuseof.com/tags/streaming/" title="streaming" rel="tag">streaming />

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class="align-right" src="http://main.makeuseoflimited.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/06/shutterstock_61048210.png?54167" alt="mobile video player" />A few months ago, we covered the class="vt-p" href="http://www.makeuseof.com/tag/8-mobile-video-players-android-phone/">8 Best Mobile Video Players For The Android Phone. It’s now time to cover 3 brilliant video players for the iPhone. Not as many as for the Android but these three iPhone players don’t just play video. Each one has at least one unique feature that makes them stand out so you may choose to install either one or all of them.

Here are the top three that you should consider, next time you want to watch a video file on your iOS device.

class="vt-p" href="http://itunes.apple.com/gb/app/buzz-player/id389744738?mt=8">BUZZ Player

This is the basic player out of the three but don’t take that to mean that it’s not feature-rich. It just means that it doesn’t have a specialty, like the other two do. It has a lot of features, including :

• Subtitles and subtitle offset.
• A nice interface (yes, I consider that a feature).
• Playlists.
• Playing from network URL, SAMBA & FTP & uPnP sharing.
• Choosing which side the sound comes out from and boosting the volume above 100%.
• Changing the aspect ratio.
• Built-in web browser.
• Downloader & unzipper.
• Support for a lot of formats, including FLV, full HD quality (1920 x 1080), QuickTime formats (mp4, mov, m4v, mpv), DV quality (720 x 576), other media files, and more.

This application costs a measly £1.79 ($2.88) for iPhone 3Gs+ and the iPod touch 3G+. For phones and touches below that, you can buy the classic version for £1.19 ($1.90). Sadly the app is not universal, so if you have an iPad, you will have to buy the HD version for £2.39 ($3.82).

class="aligncenter" src="http://main.makeuseoflimited.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/06/photo-2-1.png?54167" alt="mobile video player" width="480" height="320" />

class="aligncenter" style="border: 1px solid black;" src="http://main.makeuseoflimited.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/06/photo-1-1.png?54167" alt="video players for mobile phones" width="480" height="320" />

class="aligncenter" src="http://main.makeuseoflimited.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/06/photo-5.png?54167" alt="video players for mobile phones" width="480" height="320" />

Supported Container Formats

3GP, AVI, ASF, FLV, MKV, MOV, MP4, NUT, Ogg, OGM, RealMedia, Bink, WMV, Xvid and DivX.

Supported Video Formats

Cinepak, DV, H.263, H.264/MPEG-4 AVC, HuffYUV, Indeo, MJPEG, MPEG-1, MPEG-2, MPEG 4 Part 2, RealVideo, Sorenson and Theora.

Supported Audio Formats

AAC, AC3, ALAC, AMR, DTS, FLAC, Intel Music Coder, Monkey’s Audio, MP3, Musepack, RealAudio, Shorten, Speex, Vorbis, WMA and Bink.

class="vt-p" href="http://itunes.apple.com/gb/app/video-stream/id342124650?mt=8">Video Stream

This app’s specialty is streaming from your computer. However, I find it to be much better than most other streaming programs as the developer has made a really powerful package. We’ve covered class="vt-p" href="http://www.makeuseof.com/tag/hassle-free-video-streaming-to-your-iphone-and-ipod-touch-with-air-video-windowsmac/">streaming videos to your iPhone and iPod touch before but this app’s REAL specialty, which distinguishes it from all the other streaming apps in the App Store, is conversion and downloading.

The server on the computer can not only stream the videos to the iPhone, it can also be put to work converting the videos on the computer and then pushing them for download directly onto the app. So even if you have forgotten to convert the files for streaming, the built-in converter means you never have to go to your computer directly.

The company used to offer a lite version which was ad-supported, but unfortunately, I could not find that anymore. It may have been temporarily pulled. The full version is £1.79 ($2.88), but unlike BUZZ Player, it’s universal, which means you only have to spend once to use the app on both the iPhone and the iPad.

class="aligncenter" src="http://main.makeuseoflimited.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/06/photo-5-1.png?54167" alt="video players for mobile phones" width="480" height="320" />

class="aligncenter" src="http://main.makeuseoflimited.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/06/photo-4-1.jpg?54167" alt="mobile video player for mobile" width="320" height="480" />

class="vt-p" href="http://itunes.apple.com/gb/app/video-safe-no-1-for-video/id306066434?mt=8">Video Safe

This is another app by the developers of Video Stream. This app’s specialty is secret videos and images. What makes it stand out from the rest of the App Store however, is the Snoop Stopper. This is a handy feature which makes you look completely innocent if someone happens to open this app. Sure, if you have a jailbroken phone, some apps can masquerade as innocent things, or you can hide them. But for those who prefer a smoother experience, while appearing innocent, Video Safe has you covered.

The Snoop Stopper is basically a feature which loads some fake videos and pictures. So if you have some torrented videos (or anything else you want kept secret), just enter Snoop Stopper mode by entering the incorrect passcode, add some home videos and the like, then exit the app. Close it by clicking the minus button. Launch it again and if anyone enters the incorrect passcode, they will enter the fake vault. You can also use a special Snoop Stopper passcode, which if used, leads users to the fake vault.

The luxury of this app will cost you £2.39 ($3.82) but it’s not universal. You can also purchase Video Stream as an In-App Purchase from within Video Safe too if you want, since they’re made by the same company.

class="aligncenter" src="http://main.makeuseoflimited.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/06/photo-3-1.png?54167" alt="mobile video player" width="320" height="480" />

We’ve also covered class="vt-p" href="http://www.makeuseof.com/tag/watch-type-video-iphone-ipad-ipod-touch/">VLC and OPlayer on this site before, which are two other possibilities you can look at.

Are these apps unique enough from each other that you would consider installing any or all of them? Do you know of any alternatives that can do the same for a cheaper price or even free? What are your favourite mobile video players for iOS devices? Let us know in the comments below!

Image Credit: class="vt-p" rel="nofollow" href="http://www.shutterstock.com/pic-61048210/stock-photo-a-flat-screen-television-has-a-blank-black-text-area-with-photo-images-coming-out-of-the-sides-of.html">Shutterstock

href="http://www.makeuseof.com/tag/3-mobile-video-players-iphone/">The 3 Best Mobile Video Players For The iPhone is a post from: href="http://www.makeuseof.com">MakeUseOf

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class="align-right" src="http://main.makeuseoflimited.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/06/winmobile.png" alt="" />A few years ago, I covered a list of Windows Mobile apps, like the class="vt-p" href="http://www.makeuseof.com/tag/make-4-coolspy-gadgets-with-your-windows-mobile-phone/">4 spy apps or the 6 useful class="vt-p" href="http://www.makeuseof.com/tag/cool-downloads-for-your-college-kids-cellphone/">apps for college kids. Karl also hit on a number of cool apps for Windows Mobile, like the full class="vt-p" href="http://www.makeuseof.com/tag/the-makeuseof-windows-mobile-guide-pdf/">PDF guide, and his list of sites to get the class="vt-p" href="http://www.makeuseof.com/tag/top-3-sites-to-download-windows-mobile-6-freeware">best freeware for WM6. But I’ve now switched to a Motorola Droid. The Cingular 8125 running Windows Mobile 5 has been stored away in my bedside drawer since 2010.

Recently, I’ve been building a home web server that I have running in my office without a keyboard or monitor attached. I connect to it class="vt-p" href="http://www.makeuseof.com/tag/how-to-spy-on-your-spouse-with-your-computer/">via VNC from my laptop whenever I want to work on it. The other night, I stumbled upon my old Windows Mobile phone and at that moment, my brain started turning. Why do I have this great device stashed away in a drawer, when it could be put to good use? Even though there’s no cellular service, it still has Wi-Fi capability, so it can still serve as a little mobile computer.

Realizing that there are probably a lot of other people out there with devices like this collecting dust, I decided to transform this seemingly useless phone into a highly-useful, productive mobile network device.

Accessing Music & Information

Basically, I wanted to transform this device into a bedside tool that I could use to get instant access to news, music, and of course the time and calendar. I also wanted the device to have constant connectivity to my home network, for troubleshooting and working on the server.

The first order of business was to load up useful Internet-ready content apps. The first choice I went with was class="vt-p" href="http://www.freewarepocketpc.net/ppc-download-open-web-radio.html">OPENweb Radio. This application gives you access to streaming content from local radio stations all around the world. After installing the app and launching it, I found a few stations around here.

style="text-align: center;"> class="aligncenter" src="http://main.makeuseoflimited.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/06/wm5apps0011.png" alt="" width="375" height="500" />

When you click to listen to the station, the streaming audio comes up in Windows Media Player. If you want to use the device as a bedside clock, having a radio is an obvious feature that it really needs.

I also wanted to make sure that the mobile device could also stream podcasts from around the web. I have a number of NPR (National Public Radio) podcasts that I really like, and being able to plug my headphones into my old WM5 phone and listen to them while lying in bed would be very cool. The best app for that is class="vt-p" href="http://www.freewarepocketpc.net/get-ppcpodcast-beta-6.html">PPC Podcast.

style="text-align: center;"> class="aligncenter" src="http://main.makeuseoflimited.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/06/wm5apps0071.png" alt="" width="375" height="500" />

You can choose podcasts from the list of categories included with the app, or you can do like I do and just manually type in the RSS link for your favorite podcast feeds from throughout the Internet.

style="text-align: center;"> class="aligncenter" style="border: 1px solid black;" src="http://main.makeuseoflimited.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/06/wm5apps008.png" alt="" width="375" height="500" />

Just like OpenWeb Radio, the content streaming takes place in Windows Media Player on the device.

Finally, I wanted to load the highest quality bedside clock app as possible on the WM5 device, and I discovered a pretty cool full-screen alarm clock app called class="vt-p" href="http://wolfclock.en.softonic.com/pocketpc">WolfClock that works on Windows Mobile 5 just fine.

style="text-align: center;"> class="aligncenter" src="http://main.makeuseoflimited.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/06/wm5apps009.png" alt="" width="375" height="500" />

WolfClock is a fully customizable alarm clock application. You can completely change the color scheme and background of the display, and you can also modify how and when the clock runs, and what the alarm sounds like when it goes off. You can even set it to start the alarm soft and then increase the volume over time.

Network Monitoring Device

Even more than using the old device as a bedside clock and media device, I also wanted the ability to pick up the device and use it to access remote systems on my home network. One very useful app, particularly in a bedroom where you might have a computer running a video display across the room as a television, is class="vt-p" href="http://www.freewarepocketpc.net/ppc-download-remote-control.html">PPC Remote Control.

style="text-align: center;"> class="aligncenter" style="border: 1px solid black;" src="http://main.makeuseoflimited.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/06/wm5apps0021.png" alt="" width="375" height="500" />

As you can see from the image above, you can use this app to control just about everything the computer can do. This includes launching and controlling PowerPoint presentations, controlling Windows Media Player, and even remotely controlling the PC mouse and keyboard.

style="text-align: center;"> class="aligncenter" src="http://main.makeuseoflimited.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/06/wm5apps003.png" alt="" width="375" height="500" />

Surprisingly, mouse and keyboard control is very intuitive and easy to use, even on an old Windows Mobile 5 device with an old-style touchscreen that requires a little more pressure than today’s touchscreens.

The app that I was really looking forward to using was the class="vt-p" href="http://www.jamlent.com/2009/11/remote-control-your-pc-with-vnc/">VNC Viewer. All I needed to do was install a VNC Viewer on this old WM5 phone and I can connect to my web server just like I’m sitting in front of it.

style="text-align: center;"> class="aligncenter" src="http://main.makeuseoflimited.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/06/wm5apps005.png" alt="" width="375" height="500" />

Of course, when you’re network troubleshooting, you want the ability to quickly check out the integrity of your connections. Ping is required for that, and the perfect app to perform ping with your old WM phone is class="vt-p" href="http://www.freewarepocketpc.net/ppc-download-pingbox-v1-4.html">PingBox.

style="text-align: center;"> class="aligncenter" style="border: 1px solid black;" src="http://main.makeuseoflimited.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/06/wm5apps006.png" alt="" width="375" height="500" />

Just type in the IP to check, click on “Ping“, and the app takes care of the rest.

Finally, the last monitoring tool that I find nice to have handy is the PPC Interface tool which provides a graphical display of all traffic in and out of the Windows Mobile device.

style="text-align: center;"> class="aligncenter" style="border: 1px solid black;" src="http://main.makeuseoflimited.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/06/wm5apps010.png" alt="" width="375" height="500" />

As you can see, it seems silly to store away a perfectly good smartphone in the back of a drawer, when there are so many cool things you can still do with that device. The fact that it can still access the Internet through Wi-Fi means that it can become a fully-functioning mobile computer. All you have to do is install the apps above, and you’re in business.

Do you have any old mobile devices hanging around the house? Have you reused them as useful wireless devices on your home network? Share some of your own ideas and experiences in the comments section below.

Image Credit: class="vt-p" rel="nofollow" href="http://www.sxc.hu/photo/988579">Stephen Davies

href="http://www.makeuseof.com/tag/10-apps-windows-mobile-phone/">10 Apps To Make Your Old Windows Mobile Phone Useful is a post from: href="http://www.makeuseof.com">MakeUseOf

More articles about: href="http://www.makeuseof.com/tags/mobile-apps/" title="Mobile Apps" rel="tag">Mobile Apps, href="http://www.makeuseof.com/tags/mobile-phones/" title="mobile phones" rel="tag">mobile phones, href="http://www.makeuseof.com/tags/smartphones/" title="smartphones" rel="tag">smartphones, href="http://www.makeuseof.com/tags/windows-mobile/" title="Windows mobile" rel="tag">Windows mobile />

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class="align-right" src="http://main.makeuseoflimited.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/06/intro7.jpg" alt="track halo stats" />Halo is one of the most successful console franchises ever, and if you’re an class="vt-p" href="http://www.makeuseof.com/tags/xbox360">Xbox 360 owner both Halo 3 and the latest incarnation, Halo: Reach, are must-have games. Of course, you probably already knew that – especially if you’ve been playing online for a good while.

All that time you’ve been pummelling foes and sucking up bullets the folks who brought you the game have been quietly recording your every move. You can access your statistics online using your web browser and now on-the-go using your iPhone, iPod Touch or iPad. The level of detail recorded on the website is impressive to say the least, and if you’re an class="vt-p" href="http://www.makeuseof.com/tags/ios">iOS user then there’s even a couple of in-game rewards to sink your teeth into!

Bungie Mobile – Halo as you Go

Once you’ve downloaded the class="vt-p" href="http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/bungie-mobile/id441444902?mt=8">Bungie Mobile app on iTunes and logged in (using your Windows Live ID, which is tied to your Xbox Live gamertag) you have limited access to your challenge and commendation progress on the Profile tab. Unfortunately I was only able to choose Halo: Reach stats from Bungie mobile, even though I have plenty of Halo 3 stats on Bungie’s servers.

Fairly quick access to challenges (especially daily and weekly challenges) is very useful, as checking this in-game can be a bit of a drag, especially when you just want to play the game. Players who often play split-screen will find this useful as they won’t have to interrupt the other party’s session with boring statistics.

style="text-align: center;"> class="aligncenter" src="http://main.makeuseoflimited.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/06/mobile_overview.jpg" alt="track halo stats" width="333" height="500" />

As well as challenges and commendations, there’s a View Spartan button which fetches the last known configuration of your character, complete with custom armour. If you hit the small plug button in the top right corner of the View Spartan screen then you’ll be prompted to save the picture to your camera roll.

This might seem a bit pointless, but the image makes a nice unique-to-you class="vt-p" href="http://www.makeuseof.com/tag/5-tips-improve-desktop-wallpaper/">wallpaper for both your home and lock screens. There is a More Details button on your profile tab also, and this opens up the Bungie site in Safari – we’ll come to that in a bit.

style="text-align: center;"> class="aligncenter" src="http://main.makeuseoflimited.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/06/mobile_lockscreen.jpg" alt="halo stats analyzer" width="333" height="500" />

In addition to the profile tab, there’s Find which allows you to search for friends by gamertag (and displays the same information that you’d find on your own overview), News which is… news and More, which features a link to Bungie and some other boring bits.

But wait… there’s also a Love Bungie tab! This is where you can claim your rewards for simply signing up to the Bungie Mobile service. Two rewards are available – Blue Flames and the All-Star Nameplate.

style="text-align: center;"> class="aligncenter" src="http://main.makeuseoflimited.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/06/mobile_lovebungie.jpg" alt="halo stats analyzer" width="333" height="500" />

You’ll need to activate each (only once) before turning on class="vt-p" href="http://www.makeuseof.com/tag/caring-xbox-360-tips-fixing-dead-console/">your Xbox, launching Halo and heading to the Armory section to apply your prizes. The Blue Flames is an armour effect, causing pretty blue flames to emanate from your Spartan’s helmet, and the All-Star Nameplate places a small star alongside your name and emblem in the scoreboards.

The Blue Flames is single-use (meaning you must sign into the iOS app from your gamertag to enable it) however the All-Star Nameplate can be gifted to 7 of your friends. That’s pretty much it for Bungie Mobile, if you want some really in-depth analysis you’d better check out…

Bungie.net – A Wealth Of Stats and More

Leaving the mobile platform alone for the moment, Bungie also supplies an impressive resource for gamers via its class="vt-p" href="http://www.bungie.net/">online Bungie.net service, which tracks nearly everything you do and provides space to store and share media.

style="text-align: center;"> class="aligncenter" src="http://main.makeuseoflimited.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/06/overview.jpg" alt="halo stats analyzer" width="575" height="369" />

Bungie.net provides a far more in-depth look at your Halo habit. You can filter by game (Reach, ODST and Halo 3) and access your Game History in exquisite detail, right down to individual game scores, medals and any files (screenshots or video) that relate to that particular match.

style="text-align: center;"> class="aligncenter" src="http://main.makeuseoflimited.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/06/gameoverview.jpg" alt="halo stats" width="580" height="558" />

One of the more intriguing and potentially useful features are personalised heatmaps of the levels you play. This works for Halo 3, ODST and Reach and essentially shows you a top-down image of a map with areas of interest highlighted.

style="text-align: left;">You can choose to show kills or deaths and even narrow it down to a particular weapon. If you’re the type who likes to analyse your playing style, heatmaps will probably give you an idea of where you’re going wrong (areas you’re always dying in) and what you’re doing right (lots of kills).

style="text-align: center;"> class="aligncenter" src="http://main.makeuseoflimited.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/06/heatmap.jpg" alt="halo stats" width="523" height="519" />

Finally there’s your File Share, which is a public area to share map variants, custom game types, screenshots and videos you have taken in-game. Unfortunately you’ll need to pay for a Bungie Pro account to class="vt-p" href="http://www.makeuseof.com/tag/hassle-free-video-streaming-to-your-iphone-and-ipod-touch-with-air-video-windowsmac/">stream video (it has to render it for you, after all) but screenshots don’t cost.

Once you’ve uploaded an in-game screenshot you can retrieve a high resolution image to do what you want with from your File Share. The website also tags you in the picture much in the same way Facebook does!

style="text-align: center;"> class="aligncenter" src="http://main.makeuseoflimited.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/06/screenshot.jpg" alt="halo stats" width="580" height="460" />

Conclusion

If you’re a die-hard Halo fan who hasn’t checked out the wealth of stats and other goodies on either the Bungie.net service or Bungie Mobile then you’re in for a treat. If you’re really dedicated then you can upgrade to Bungie Pro for streaming videos of past games and files, more space to share things and some class="vt-p" href="http://www.bungie.net/projects/bungiepro/default.aspx">other benefits for 320 Microsoft Points per six months.

Have you tried Bungie Mobile? How about Bungie.net? Spartans report in via the comments box below.

href="http://www.makeuseof.com/tag/track-halo-stats-bungienet-bungie-mobile-ios-app/">Keep Track Of Your Halo Stats With Bungie.net & The Bungie Mobile iOS App is a post from: href="http://www.makeuseof.com">MakeUseOf

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class="align-right" src="http://main.makeuseoflimited.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/06/intro7.jpg" alt="track halo stats" />Halo is one of the most successful console franchises ever, and if you’re an class="vt-p" href="http://www.makeuseof.com/tags/xbox360">Xbox 360 owner both Halo 3 and the latest incarnation, Halo: Reach, are must-have games. Of course, you probably already knew that – especially if you’ve been playing online for a good while.

All that time you’ve been pummelling foes and sucking up bullets the folks who brought you the game have been quietly recording your every move. You can access your statistics online using your web browser and now on-the-go using your iPhone, iPod Touch or iPad. The level of detail recorded on the website is impressive to say the least, and if you’re an class="vt-p" href="http://www.makeuseof.com/tags/ios">iOS user then there’s even a couple of in-game rewards to sink your teeth into!

Bungie Mobile – Halo as you Go

Once you’ve downloaded the class="vt-p" href="http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/bungie-mobile/id441444902?mt=8">Bungie Mobile app on iTunes and logged in (using your Windows Live ID, which is tied to your Xbox Live gamertag) you have limited access to your challenge and commendation progress on the Profile tab. Unfortunately I was only able to choose Halo: Reach stats from Bungie mobile, even though I have plenty of Halo 3 stats on Bungie’s servers.

Fairly quick access to challenges (especially daily and weekly challenges) is very useful, as checking this in-game can be a bit of a drag, especially when you just want to play the game. Players who often play split-screen will find this useful as they won’t have to interrupt the other party’s session with boring statistics.

style="text-align: center;"> class="aligncenter" src="http://main.makeuseoflimited.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/06/mobile_overview.jpg" alt="track halo stats" width="333" height="500" />

As well as challenges and commendations, there’s a View Spartan button which fetches the last known configuration of your character, complete with custom armour. If you hit the small plug button in the top right corner of the View Spartan screen then you’ll be prompted to save the picture to your camera roll.

This might seem a bit pointless, but the image makes a nice unique-to-you class="vt-p" href="http://www.makeuseof.com/tag/5-tips-improve-desktop-wallpaper/">wallpaper for both your home and lock screens. There is a More Details button on your profile tab also, and this opens up the Bungie site in Safari – we’ll come to that in a bit.

style="text-align: center;"> class="aligncenter" src="http://main.makeuseoflimited.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/06/mobile_lockscreen.jpg" alt="halo stats analyzer" width="333" height="500" />

In addition to the profile tab, there’s Find which allows you to search for friends by gamertag (and displays the same information that you’d find on your own overview), News which is… news and More, which features a link to Bungie and some other boring bits.

But wait… there’s also a Love Bungie tab! This is where you can claim your rewards for simply signing up to the Bungie Mobile service. Two rewards are available – Blue Flames and the All-Star Nameplate.

style="text-align: center;"> class="aligncenter" src="http://main.makeuseoflimited.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/06/mobile_lovebungie.jpg" alt="halo stats analyzer" width="333" height="500" />

You’ll need to activate each (only once) before turning on class="vt-p" href="http://www.makeuseof.com/tag/caring-xbox-360-tips-fixing-dead-console/">your Xbox, launching Halo and heading to the Armory section to apply your prizes. The Blue Flames is an armour effect, causing pretty blue flames to emanate from your Spartan’s helmet, and the All-Star Nameplate places a small star alongside your name and emblem in the scoreboards.

The Blue Flames is single-use (meaning you must sign into the iOS app from your gamertag to enable it) however the All-Star Nameplate can be gifted to 7 of your friends. That’s pretty much it for Bungie Mobile, if you want some really in-depth analysis you’d better check out…

Bungie.net – A Wealth Of Stats and More

Leaving the mobile platform alone for the moment, Bungie also supplies an impressive resource for gamers via its class="vt-p" href="http://www.bungie.net/">online Bungie.net service, which tracks nearly everything you do and provides space to store and share media.

style="text-align: center;"> class="aligncenter" src="http://main.makeuseoflimited.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/06/overview.jpg" alt="halo stats analyzer" width="575" height="369" />

Bungie.net provides a far more in-depth look at your Halo habit. You can filter by game (Reach, ODST and Halo 3) and access your Game History in exquisite detail, right down to individual game scores, medals and any files (screenshots or video) that relate to that particular match.

style="text-align: center;"> class="aligncenter" src="http://main.makeuseoflimited.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/06/gameoverview.jpg" alt="halo stats" width="580" height="558" />

One of the more intriguing and potentially useful features are personalised heatmaps of the levels you play. This works for Halo 3, ODST and Reach and essentially shows you a top-down image of a map with areas of interest highlighted.

style="text-align: left;">You can choose to show kills or deaths and even narrow it down to a particular weapon. If you’re the type who likes to analyse your playing style, heatmaps will probably give you an idea of where you’re going wrong (areas you’re always dying in) and what you’re doing right (lots of kills).

style="text-align: center;"> class="aligncenter" src="http://main.makeuseoflimited.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/06/heatmap.jpg" alt="halo stats" width="523" height="519" />

Finally there’s your File Share, which is a public area to share map variants, custom game types, screenshots and videos you have taken in-game. Unfortunately you’ll need to pay for a Bungie Pro account to class="vt-p" href="http://www.makeuseof.com/tag/hassle-free-video-streaming-to-your-iphone-and-ipod-touch-with-air-video-windowsmac/">stream video (it has to render it for you, after all) but screenshots don’t cost.

Once you’ve uploaded an in-game screenshot you can retrieve a high resolution image to do what you want with from your File Share. The website also tags you in the picture much in the same way Facebook does!

style="text-align: center;"> class="aligncenter" src="http://main.makeuseoflimited.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/06/screenshot.jpg" alt="halo stats" width="580" height="460" />

Conclusion

If you’re a die-hard Halo fan who hasn’t checked out the wealth of stats and other goodies on either the Bungie.net service or Bungie Mobile then you’re in for a treat. If you’re really dedicated then you can upgrade to Bungie Pro for streaming videos of past games and files, more space to share things and some class="vt-p" href="http://www.bungie.net/projects/bungiepro/default.aspx">other benefits for 320 Microsoft Points per six months.

Have you tried Bungie Mobile? How about Bungie.net? Spartans report in via the comments box below.

href="http://www.makeuseof.com/tag/track-halo-stats-bungienet-bungie-mobile-ios-app/">Keep Track Of Your Halo Stats With Bungie.net & The Bungie Mobile iOS App is a post from: href="http://www.makeuseof.com">MakeUseOf

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