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Make the most of your two days of freedom, with the iPhone as your cruise director.
Eager to see that hot new film everyone’s been raving about? (You know the one.) Luckily, you can set up the entire event from your iPhone, thanks in large part to the easy to use Fandango app (free, pictured). Fandango contains movie listings for most theaters, and many places let you purchase tickets directly from the app. And though it may seem silly, the iPhone can even tell you the best times to run to the bathroom--just consult the free, aptly-named RunPee Mobile app for suggestions.
If you’re planning on hitting the town but don’t want to leave your beloved canine companion at home, worry not: Appetyte’s Fido Factor app (free, pictured) is like Yelp for dogs, spotlighting dog-friendly stores and restaurants with user reviews in tow. Also immensely helpful for pet owners is the free Dog Park Finder app, which lists thousands of parks in the U.S. with detailed information, and even lets you see all of the nearby parks on a map.
Foursquare is the latest social networking craze for mobile phones, as it imbues your everyday travels and errands with the sense of playing one big game with all your friends and neighbors. Simply check in at any store, restaurant, or other venue using the official Foursquare (free, pictured) app, and you’ll earn badges to compare with your friends. Some businesses even offer discounts to Foursquare users. It’s mostly frivolous, sure, but also free and surprisingly fun!
Ideally, you’ll leave your iPhone in your pocket while on a nice hike, but should you lose your way or need a basic guide, the iPhone 4 and 3GS come with a built-in Compass (pictured) app that’ll point you in the right direction. And don’t forget about Google Maps, should you need more help! More adventurous explorers might consider geocaching, sort of a treasure hunt for intentionally hidden items. Groundspeak’s Geocaching ($9.99) app provides clues and locations to get you started!
After a long week at the office, chances are you’d like to go a couple days without hearing a peep from coworkers or clients. Luckily, you can turn off your email for the weekend with only a moment’s effort. Hit the Settings, navigate into the Mail, Contacts, Calendars option, and click into your Exchange account. Simply switch Mail to off and your iPhone inbox will go quiet until you turn it back on. Don’t worry--all your precious emails will be waiting for you on Monday.
The iPhone 4 is an all-in-one video creation and uploading device, giving you the ability to shoot video clips (from either camera), edit them in iMovie ($4.99), and transfer them on the fly to YouTube.com. Whether you’re shooting home movies, grabbing a clip of a concert festival, or creating complex short films, you can do everything from the iPhone 4 without a computer and unleash it onto the web. You could be the next YouTube sensation!
Little in life is more satisfying than systematically crossing items off of an epic to-do list, and the iPhone has several available apps to assist in that process--and get all your errands and chores done, of course! Our favorite is Things ($9.99), an easy-to-use task manager that lets you add events and manage larger projects, complete with deadlines and notes, and then strike them off the list with a tap of the finger. Don’t let a slip of the mind derail your weekend plans!
Of course, you can use the iTunes app to download movies and TV shows over a Wi-Fi connection, but what about all of those clips and episodes you have stored on your computer? Luckily, Air Video ($2.99) makes it incredibly easy to stream videos to the iPhone 4 from your Mac or PC using a free companion server program. Air Video even converts the files in mid-stream, and can be accessed from a Wi-Fi hotspot, assuming the server is running on your computer back home.
Sure, you can access most websites from your iPhone, but should you need to use a laptop, you don’t need to worry about finding a Wi-Fi hotspot. Your iPhone data plan can be expanded through AT&T to allow for Internet tethering, which lets you take other devices online through your iPhone. It costs another $20 a month on top of the usual data rates, but if you travel a lot, it sure beats the rates many hotels charge for a day of sluggish Wi-Fi access.
If you’re going to be out and about all weekend with your iPhone 4, consider a couple helpful accessories, like tiny speakers to bring to the park or beach. We like CP Audio’s Chill Pill speakers ($49.99, pictured), but loads of different options are out there. And if you’ll be away from a wall outlet for a couple days, consider a charger case with a built-in battery for extra life. By the time you read this, several manufacturers should have iPhone 4-compatible versions available for purchase.
taskmaster1977
October 17, 2010 at 3:08pm
Great article. I don't have an iPhone, but I do have an ipod Touch and I'm always looking for useful apps. I've added several from the article and will try them out.
