Reflecting water added to your iPhone images, a free app option

It’s no secret that I play a lot with images beyond the original snapshot. Most apps I use are on the robust side to tune and tweak. Of course there is a huge variety of apps that are on the light side, specializing in doing one thing.

The user interfaces of these free apps are not quite at the professional level, the flow may not be as expected and there are usually no settings to adjust. They do what they claim without confusion.

Be ready though… free and light apps carry screens to click through where your encouraged to view and purchase the developer’s other apps. Also, usually the apps will generally have ads in them which you can in-app purchase to hide.

An example of these apps was stumbled on from an image I saw on Instagram. The app, WaterMyPhoto, adds a water reflection onto any photo you choose from your iPhone library or take within the app. Upon launching, you choose an image to apply the effect to. The only option is to move the photo around and crop.

You would normally use a image with no water and no reflection like a mountain or a building image. I chose a island image I had with water already as I thought it was a good comparison between reality and what WaterMyPhoto produces. Actually, the result if very nice. When your ready to have the effect applied, tap the Done Editing. Nothing to adjust other than the first step when you crop.

Step 3 is where you share your work. All the usual share options are available, including emailing and saving to your iPhone’s library. If you want to work on another image, try tapping and swiping on the ‘Step 2’ at the top. No certain which worked… like I said, not intuitive but WaterMyPhoto does exactly what it claims which makes it handy for those times you need a water reflection.

 

Creating print cards on the iPhone, free from Apple

Hidden in amongst all the news about the iOS5 release was a new app from Apple for the iPhone. The Card app is a free print card creator solution that is just right for those times you need to get a card sent to someone and no time to hit the store. Since it uses the images you have in your iPhone’s photo library, your cards are personalized to you and the folks you send the card to.

The Card app is simple to use and does just what it is supposed to do, allow you to put an image and text onto a card which Apple will print and mail for you (for a charge).

Sweep through the options of card templates, either by ‘All’ or be individual groups like Travel, Love, Thank You, Baby and more…

About the only think that isn’t editable on the cards is the frill art and borders. All of the text can be clicked to edit and images replaced with ones from your iPhone’s photo library. If you don’t like the template you chose, click the ‘Back’ button and start over.

Apple’s Card app allows you to edit the front of the card and the text inside.

When your done editing, choose the Envelope to add your return address and the ‘to’ address. Then, you just tap the $2.99 to complete the transaction with Apple. Similar to using the desktop iPhoto app to create and have Apple print/send greetings cards, these are similar in quality paper and printing.

Two items worth mentioning. All of the cards you create in the Card app can be retrieved later to send again or create a copy to tune and send to someone else. This saves a lot of time if you have a generic card your using for work or party invites. The second item is $2.99 is before your local taxes are added.

 

Adjust photos on the iPhone with a snap… and a swipe

I have enjoyed a photo tuning app on the iPad for a while and was happy to see that Snapseed is available now as a universal app, so onto my iPhone it went. Automated and Selective tuning with a unique finger interface gives is three checks in the ‘must have’ category.

Opening an image is much like other photo tuning apps, you see your image in the main area with the options to tune across the bottom of the screen. Move through the groups of adjustment options Snapseed offers from left to right. The first one ‘automatic’ is a nice choice if you know you have a couple darker or brighter spots in your image, the app will tune those out and you might be ready.

The second ‘Selective Adjust’ gives you the ability to call out a particular area of the photo to be tuned. Normally, apps apply filters to adjust the photo as a whole. Choosing this area on Snapseed allows you to pick a particular area to tune.

Next for Snapseed is it’s unique method for adjusting the photos. When you have chosen a option from the bottom, there may be a variety of fine tuning choices within that group. Sliding your finder up/down on the photo brings up those options and cycles through them. Just stop moving your finger when the one you want is highlighted. You do not need to tap the actual choice.

To use that tuning option, move your finger left/right for a -/+ application. Some of the groups of filters will have a variety of starting points that you then use to fine tune. When you have the photo as you like it, apply the changes. Just making the adjustment does not alter the image, you have to apply it. This makes Snapseed a handy app for me when I’m ‘playing’ a bit, I save an image changes within the app then dive into another group to tune a bit further. If it isn’t going in the direction I want I just back out a layer without applying and start over with the image already enhanced with the previous tuning.

 

iSkin has new cases for the iPhone4 and iPhone4s

I’m not a ‘big’ case user. Unless it’s a specialty case that enhances the iPhone with features to the phone it’s self, I usually pass by. The Griffin Survivor and Morphie Power cases are great examples of ‘enhancement’ cases. Others usually are just adding bulk for a unique look that I could do with a simple skin.

iSkin seems to have taken a look at the fine line between useful, unique and protection. I found two cases on their site that fill the needs of my iPhone without adding un-necessary bulk.

First is the Aura. It isn’t actually a single case, but a series of cases. “Featuring a discreet polycarbonate design that’s finished with a luxurious brushed aircraft-grade aluminum for a durable, yet amazingly thin design.” Which translates to, it is very thin, wraps around, looks nice if you like the brushed metal look (that is me) and you can still use a dock without removing the case (without having to remove part of the case).

The second case is the Revo… Version 4. It is more about being colorful and heavy duty protection for the iPhone 4 and 4s. The cases wrap around to protect the corner drop bounce. As well, the Revo4 protects the ports and buttons, with a door for the sync cable. “The revo4 and revo4 SE offer outstanding protection against drops and other hazards. Thoughtfully designed features such as an integrated charging port cover, covered home, volume and power buttons make the revo series the highly protective option.”

The revo4 SE version of the revo4 offers a redesigned tinted screen “ViSOR™” that features a unique touch-friendly zone which lets users answer and terminate calls without having to remove the cover first.

 

Using the iPhone to get answers from others beyond Wikipedia

I’m a big fan of Wikipedia, jumping there for an overview of about any subject. It’s a great example of people helping others. People constantly updating with new information as it’s happening.

The information is very handy for big information subjects but not the place to ask a question. If you believe the rumors, Apple might be adding voice control Siri to the new iPhone 5. A service that you can ask a question of and the service will answer back. It will be great for ‘Where is the new movie XYZ playing near me?”

A Web site offering a different kind of question/answers is Quora. The site, and now iPhone app, is not about article posts. It is more about asking questions which people you don’t know answer. It’s the missing part of the two other services Wikipedia and Siri. They both give you information you need when it comes to general information. If you want more of a personal touch, ask the free Quora app. I’ve been helping folks with their questions in F1, Photography, iPad and iPhones.

You can choose subjects your interested in too. The questions/answers in those areas will appear in the ‘Home’ area of Quora. It’s a bit like bouncing around the Web though since you will find interesting questions people have answered, which you will want to read through which will lead you to other question/answers… then you notice an hour has gone by as you jump from post to post.

So, Quora on the iPhone lets you see questions in subject areas and you can ask questions for others to answer. You can also look for subjects and questions Nearby to you.

Choosing In-N-Out Burger, you will see the 26 questions people have asked. Notice that 2505 folks have added In-N-Out Burger as one of the subjects they are specifically watching Quora for questions/answers about.

Choose a question to see the answers. Of course, to make Quora really work, it helps if you answer a question or two to help others.