Loving Google Goggles on the iPhone!!

Goggles has been an app only avail for the Android phones and we have been wanting it! Sure, there are apps that do a few of the features, but non have the power to pull all of it together like Googles does with their ‘Goggles’.

The feature is in the latest update to the Google’s free universal app. Upon installing it, you get a new camera icon/button between the search text box and the microphone button. Tap this to bring up the camera, which you can use to snap an image of a location, book, CD, sign, etc… and Goggles will look it over and tell you more about it. Does it work? Yes, scary well!

I’ll get into more detail after the below quick overview if your interested in really getting into the magic. Below is a snap I took through the Google app of a picture I have in my office. After the picture is taken, little squares sweep across the screen as Google attempts to recognize bits and pieces of the images.

Within seconds, the Google app came up with the closest guesses it had. In this case it pretty much knew what the image was of.

Tapping the suggested option at the bottom of the screen brings up the usual Google search results page.

Continue reading “Loving Google Goggles on the iPhone!!”

A quick iPhone stand for when your on the go

There has been a iPhone stand design around for a while to make a couple cuts across a business card and two folds to make a little stand. It was is a great idea right up till I got on a plane with no scissors. Ripping a business card didn’t work well and left a lasting impression on those seated next to me.

Several folks in the office was taking a full piece of paper and folding to make a little stand that was actually rather robust. Due to the technology I carry, MBP and iPad, I don’t carry any paper so that is out too.

Finally, I came across this YouTube video that is all about folding something I always have with me, a dollar. For fun, the presentation is done with a 100 dollar bill, I have found a one dollar bill folds the same. Nothing special in the paper for a $100 over a $1. It took me a couple times through to memorize the steps but it is easy enough to do while in a narrow plane seat.

Augmented Reality iPhone game – AR Defender avail!!!

I saw the video for this a few weeks ago and got excited. Finally, an AR app for the iPhone that isn’t tied to finding a local coffee shop or museum. An AR shoot’em up game!

Checking the iTunes app store from time to time, it was a great surprise after a long day at work to find the game available. A quick download and it’s been an evening of protecting the tower from all attackers!

The game, ARDefender, requires you print a PDF that has seven dots and a little tower. When you fire up the app and point at the paper the tower grows into a 3D tower and the little bad guys and their weapons start coming in. (The below is me getting in trouble)

When you zero the cross hairs onto the target, it goes green to red and you start firing away. Of course, the attackers get more aggressive as you move from one level to another. And, they get better weapons and armor too. Choose the weapon your using from the three options along the bottom of the screen.

The PDF you print for ARDefender can be tripped down to just the basic dots/tower so you can take it anywhere. Time permits, throw down the paper and get ready for the attackers to come out of the surounding areas. Moving your iPhone closer to the paper gives you more details.

If you own a iPad, you can load the PDF and never have to carry the paper version around!

Apple updates Remote to get your iPhone ready for the new AppleTV

The update isn’t ‘just’ for the iPhone talking to the new AppleTV, there are other enhancements in there too. But, that is the headliner for many as they await their AppleTV delivery at the end of this week. The free Remote app works on the iPhone, Touch and iPad.

From Apple:

What’s New In Version 2.0

• Designed for iPhone, iPod touch, and iPad
• Optimized for Retina displays and large screen real estate on iPad
• Support for Shared Libraries on iTunes and new Apple TV
• Bug fixes and compatibility with iTunes 10 and the new Apple TV

Features
• Control iTunes and Apple TV, from anywhere in your home
• Pause, rewind, fast forward, shuffle, and adjust the volume from your iPhone, iPod touch, or iPad
• View album, movie, and TV show artwork
• Create and update Genius playlists
• Create and edit playlists in iTunes
• Search your entire iTunes library
• Control iTunes to send music to AirPlay speakers
• Control the volume on each speaker independently
• Control Apple TV with simple finger gestures
• Enter text with the keyboard
• Even control Shared Libraries on iTunes and the new Apple TV

Fun! My copy of Remote is downloading right now (slow connection) so I can test it against my iTunes. Look for a follow up review when the AppleTV gets here!

Your iPhone at the next party will be a hit!

The camera on the iPhone has always been a lot of fun at parties. Now, on the iPhone 4 it is easier to actually be in the pictures you take too. The video is handy too, but I will cover that later.

Today I wanted to mention a fun app I found that I took to a party Saturday night, Pocketbooth.

Have you ever been in a photobooth? Usually at fairs, usually medium size malls and most bowling alleys. They are fun with friends as you squeeze into a little closet of a room and the machine snaps off a series of pictures. Little or notice is given when the automated system is going to snap a picture so the resulting little strip of images are very candid.

Pocketbooth brings that fun to the iPhone. People will be wanting to nab your iPhone to play. They can choose to use either camera, tap the button to start and seconds later they have a strip just like the old Photobooths. (photos below are from the developer, I didn’t think my guests wanted their ‘candid’ shots up on the site)

There is a lot of behind-the-scenes settings you can use to fine tune the expirience: How many pictures taken in the strip, paper type, b&w/color and the time between the pictures captures.

Pocketbooth also allows different methods of saving and sharing of the image strips. Saving to the camera roll is great for you to play with later, but I found most often the folks that borrowed my iPhone emailed the image strips to themselves. Some of course posted up to Twitter or Facebook.

We were talking about grabbing a new Touch and putting it in a little box to make it into a portable photobooth. While it ended up being very popular, I really don’t need my iPhone getting bounced around the room as everyone gets a kick out of Pocketbooth.