Internet Barf

How to record video with your iPhone 3G

I have always thought it was dumb that the iPhone 2G/3G didn't come with video recording. The last phone I had before the iPhone was a Samsung Blackjack II running Windows Mobile and even that phone had video.

Jailbreaking your phone gives you access to applications like Cycorder and VideoRecorder but not everyone wants to be on the jailbreak bandwagon.

I recently came across 2 apps from the app store that allow video recording on a 3G phone without jaibreaking. While neither of these apps would replace a good video camcorder, they are great to have on hand for times when you don't have (or need) the good camcorder with you. The next time you are walking down Sunset Boulevard and Zsa Zsa Gabor winds up to slap a cop, you'll be ready.

iVideoRecorder $0.99 on iTunes

I found this app after I downloaded iTimeLapse, it's made by the same guys. This app has simple interface and has the ability to upload to most of the big social networks (YouTube, Facebook, Twitter, Flickr, Vimeo, TwelveSeconds, and basic email). The app has its own library and you have the option to export to the native iPhone Camera Roll where you can save them to your PC just like pictures but you can't share them via MMS. I was impressed that after exporting to the Camera Roll I was able to trim the beginning or the end of the video directly from the player. I thought this was only available to the 3GS model. This app also has an option to save via FTP or via wireless connection while on the same network.

The good: Easy to use, simple interface, lots of sharing options. At 10fps this is not too bad for the 3G apps that I have seen. Most have between 3-7fps

The bad: High quality mode only allows a few seconds of recording at 320x426 (based upon available memory). Low quality mode allows unlimited recording but reduces the size to 160x213. Although the framerate on low quality setting is better than most (10fps), this is definately not a replacement for the 640x480 @ 30fps available on the 3GS.

Summary: A great app for recording video on a 3G iPhone with quick and easy sharing to the big social networks.

Qik Video Camera $0.99 on iTunes

This app is made by the same company who provides the Qik live video streaming service. You can use this app to record video to record unlimited video at 352x288 @ 7fps. The app has its own library where you can watch your videos or export them to the native iPhone Camera roll for editing.

The good: The larger video size is nice and the compression ratio is also good resulting in smaller file sizes.

The bad: While the video is larger, there are no built in options for sharing to social networks. I also think it's weird that the functionality of this app is not built into the Qik streaming app which is free on iTunes. The Qik streaming app has sharing options for your live video to all of the social networks from the iPhone app and their website. Qik says that this ability is coming soon but as of this time it doesn't.

Summary: A nice app for recording large size videos at small file size but no sharing options.

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Josh & Xander at Dogwood picnic area in Big Cottonwood canyon

Sent from my iPhone

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How to use a 2D barcode

This is movie poster with a 2D barcode. I took this picture with my iPhone as I walked out of a movie theater last week. The poster stood about 4 feet tall and looked like this:

The 'bar code' itself is about 24 inches square. I don't know why these are called 'bar codes' because they really don't have any bars at all.

I had heard about these codes that you could take a picture of with your mobile phone and then either using an app or a mobile website, convert them to online content. I had heard of coupons, advertisements, contact information etc. but I had never seen one in the wild. The idea here is that these codes can be posted on websites, billboards, T-Shirts, business cards. The possibilities are endless. People always say that this is the kind of thing that Koreans and the Japanese go wild over, but it was still new here and new to me. I wasn't sure what to do with it so I snapped 3 pics and went on my way.

When I got home I looked it up and downloaded the NeoReader app for iPhone. Since I already took the picture, I uploaded it to Flickr and then pointed my iPhone at the picture of a picture of a 2D bar code on my monitor ...and it worked, awesome.

Try it for yourself on the image above after you download the app for your iPhone (or other mobile device) It's a cool little surprise.

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Simplify Media app for iPhone

I have been testing the Simplify Media app for a few weeks now and I'm pretty happy with it.

Download the app for your iPhone ($5.99) from The App Store and then download the program for your desktop. Sign up for a free account and then choose what parts of your home library you want to make available for streaming to your iPhone.

I tested this with Edge service all the way from Utah through Idaho and into Oregon. As long as there was cell phone service, it worked just fine. Sometimes the buffering between songs was longer in the really rural areas and I only got one failed message where there was no service at all. I have also tested it around town where there is reliable 3G service and it was even better. Anywhere where there is wireless, it's absolutely seamless.

I still plan to keep my favorite music on the iPhone itself but it's nice to have access to my entire library if I want to.

On our last road trip I was bouncing between the Pandora app, the SimplifyMedia app and my own iPod music and podcasts. It never hurts to have options.

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My top iPhone apps list

My Dad got an iPhone 3GS today. He asked me to send him my list of favorite free apps. Since this was a post that I had in mind for a long time, now is the perfect time so here it is in no particular order:

Tap Defense
The best free Tower Defense game by far. The game play is endless if you switch all 3 modes and a 3 maps with all 3 scenarios. If you like Tower Defense games and hate a good nights sleep, this is the one for you.

Motion X GPS Lite
This is a great little GPS app in addition to the Google Maps app baked into all iPhones. My favorite feature is being able to record a track on a bike ride and then send it via email and open it in Google Maps. You can also Facebook and Twitter your maps but I rarely do that. The Lite version is limited to only one saved track. I never save more than one anyway because once you email the tracks they are forever in your email anyway. I haven't found a good reason to pay for the full version yet. If this app were to offer turn-by-turn on a 3GS I would pay for it. I just wish it worked inside Wal-Mart.

To Do's
A neat, simple little app that keeps track of things you have to do and assigns low, medium, or high priority. This app doesn't actually do the tasks it just sits there with a growing number and shames your laziness every time you look at it. Simple, easy, free.

Falling Gems
This is a great time killer game based loosely on Bejeweled. Great for long lines at the homeless shelter soup kitchen on Friday nights.

Zynga Deluxe 5K Poker
Play online with other people or play against your Facebook friends. Great free Texas Hold-em app. Kenny Rogers would be proud.

Zynga Mafia Wars
Yeah, I don't quite get this one yet but apparently everyone else does and it looks fun until I realize how far behind I am and that my mafia sucks.

Unblock Me Free
This is a great puzzle game that is also great for long lines. It's like the parking lot games where you have to slide pieces around to get the colored bar out. Throwing your phone against the wall does not help get the orange block out.

Blackjack by MobilityWare
Simple, free Blackjack app with some minor statistics. If you love Blackjack like I do, you gotta check it out. This app is free until you go to Vegas and think you are a pro and go home penniless because you bet your mortgage on a hand of Blackjack.

USA Today
Great app to do some quick reading while waiting for a meeting to start. My favorite feature is the ability to Tweet directly from the app. Now I can share the graphs about how fat Americans are and how bad we are with money with the whole world.

AP Mobile
Another app like the USA Today app but no cool infographics and no ability to Tweet. I only read this if the line is long enough to have exhausted all of my other tricks. Like on Black Friday.

Mashable
If you dig Social Media this app keeps you up to date on all of the news from Mashable.com but I think its kinda weird that the app doesn't offer any type of sharing. It gets minus DKP just for that.

Palringo
Free app to IM with all of your IM buddies who are chained to their desks.

Pandora
Awesome app for music surprises. I can't even listen to FM radio anymore. I just want to thumbs down the Jonas Brothers so bad.

Shazam
Ever wonder what that song is over the speakers at the grocery store? Shazam knows. Just let it listen for about 10 seconds and it (usually) returns the right answer. Now Hall & Oats will never go unidentified ever again.

9-Toolbox
Free app with 9 tools:
Currency converter
Date calculator
Days until calculator
Holidays
Inclinometer (level)
Loan calculator
My Girl's Day
Tip calculator
Units conversion
There is no 10th tool, otherwise it would have been called 10-Toolbox

GasBag
Simple app that allows you to find cheap gas and report your gas prices. You can also keep track of your own mileage. I have only recently downloaded this after being duped into using Gas Cubby for tracking gas mileage only to find out that the free version only allows so much data and then holds it hostage until you pay $9.99 for the full version. Uhh no, and thanks for making me kick the dog.

Speed Test
It's always nice to see how fast you are using up AT&T's precious, overpriced, bandwidth racket. It's also nice to see if your neighbors wireless is fast enough to steal.

Facebook
I only have this app on my phone so that people think that I use Facebook even though I don't. "Brian Hansen thinks that Facebook is for people who can't figure out how to use Twitter and get freaked out by the word "follower" because "friends" is a much better word to describe your connection to people in High School you could care less about now"

PAID APPS

I dont really like to pay for apps but there are a few that have been worth it. Here they are in no particular order:

ShakeItPhoto
Take pics with your iPhone that look like old-school Polaroids. Even makes the sound and you have to shake it to develop the picture. I always wanted to take pictures of a crime scene with ShakeItPhoto to make it more official.

Twittelator
A great Twitter app for iPhone. I paid for this app before the TweetDeck app (free) came out. The TweetDeck app doesnt have the ReadItLater service. Now that I am hooked on that crack, I cant put it down. TweetDeck is a better app. I am ashamed of my addictions.

Flight Control
Help planes land on their designated landing strip. If they crash into each other and everyone dies, you can start a new game without an FAA investigation.

Scrabble
My wife and my sister love this game. I'm just proud that I know that 'unkempt' is actually a word now, saving me much embarrassment for the rest of my life.

So there you have it, my list of the best free apps and a few of the best paid apps.

What app is your favorite? What app cant you live without?

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