GarageMate

I could see this GarageMate (Bluetooth garage door opener) being very handy for bike rides and things around the neighborhood. I wonder how frequently I would wish I could open the garage door remotely from work or somewhere. At $54 and an easy install, I may give it a whirl.

Via KK Cool Tools

Zello

Business Insider:

"A walkie-talkie app called Zello is No. 1 in the App Store because of Hurricane Irma"

Definitely better than nothing, but nothing like having some real radio options.

Strava Emojis

My life is now complete - Strava will allow emojis in the titles of my activities.

😲 Your activity titles just got an upgrade 😍 pic.twitter.com/A3L8uZpiKm

— Strava (@Strava) February 4, 2017

There's An App

...for that.

My trash company is urging me to download their app. I have to draw the line somewhere, and this is where it is.
— Michael Arrington (@arrington) March 6, 2015

Tethercell

I can't come up with a single application for this that would make me buy a Tethercell. I still think it is a cool idea.

Remove the AA battery.
Put a AAA battery in the Tethercell.
Place the Tethercell in the device.
Install the app.
Profit!


Via Uncrate

Weather Apps

A good list of weather related apps for your smartphone.

Poor Man's System Status

Some companies have a fancy dashboard where you can view the status of a particular system. For companies that don't, I find that a quick visit to their Facebook page can often give you the same information. Not because the company has posted an update, but rather by looking for complaints of other users. This morning I could not make a mobile deposit to my bank. Turns out I wasn't the only one.

Ammo Availability

Speaking of buying ammo, a reader sent me this link to a simple app that checks the availability and pricing of ammo - http://www.gunbot.net/. You can search by caliber and it has a nice feature that gives you a pricing benchmark:

"Current climate "good deal" threshold (red text) = 60 cents per round"

Current climate being key there.

CheckMark

I'm going to try out CheckMark - an app for doing location based reminders. I use Siri all the time for time-based reminders - "check the laundry in ten minutes" or "replace the air filters at 6:00 PM on Saturday." I think the location based reminders would be nice as the GPS location acts as filter, so you only get the reminder when you can do something about it - "check for .22lr when at Wal-Mart." If the granularity is good, I might even use it to remind of tasks when I am in a specific building at work.

Progress

davepell Instead of having one card with which I can pay anywhere, I'll soon have a separate app to use for every store. Progress!Thu, Aug 16 17:16:06 from Twitter for Mac retweeted by harrymccracken

Free QST App for iOS

New from the ARRL, a QST app for iOS devices. I'm using it on my iPhone 5 and the screen is too small to be usable. I think it would work fine on my iPad.

Details:

ARRL members using Apple iOS mobile devices--iPhone, iPad, and iPod touch--can download a new dedicated app to access the digital edition of QST. The app allows ARRL members to read QST online or choose to download individual issues of the journal for offline reading.

• Free: The QST app is free in the Apple App Store. You must be an ARRL member to access individual issues of QST.
• QST Catalog: Browse all available digital issues.
• My QST Library: Download issues of QST directly to your device for offline reading.

App vs Service

I like this definition...

asymco I have a simple rule to distinguish between an app and a service. If you have to supply a username and password to an app, it’s a service.Tue, Oct 16 12:32:52 from Twitter for Mac

No Blake Lewis

andrewchen awesome beatboxing app: INCREDIBOX bit.ly/IwpdKhMon, Apr 30 15:01:09 from Timely by Demandforce

Pretty fun app, but you can't quite do this.

TeleTweet

Google Tap comes one step closer to reality with this iPhone Morse Code Twitter app - TeleTweet.

Ham Radio Deluxe 5.1 Released

From the press release:

Ham Radio Deluxe v5.1 Release Announcement
HRD Software, LLC
Tampa FL, St. Paul MN, Pittsburgh PA - February 8, 2012

HRD Software, LLC announces the release of Ham Radio Deluxe 5.1. This version
incorporates fixes and some new features for DXers.

"This is our first release since obtaining the source code about 90 days ago,"
said Mike Carper, WA9PIE. "My partner, Rick, W4PC has done an outstanding job
at becoming familiar with the code and developing the applications. We were
fortunate to have a few key resources like Chuck, K7PT and Terry, G4POP to help
us QA the builds as they're developed."

The 5.1 release is being made available at no charge to users registered on the
HRD website. The focus for this release was a few items from the ToDo list �
bug fixes, added rig support, and a few enhancements.

Mike said, "I think we've taken a balanced approach to getting something out
quickly that satisfies a broad range of needs. I hope hams will enjoy the
improvements. Obviously, this is only the beginning. We've got big plans and
high-expectations for HRD in the future."

Following the 5.1 release, HRD Software intends to focus on more fixes and
significant feature enhancements for v6.x with a target release at the Dayton
Hamvention 2012.

HRD Downloads: http://www.ham-radio-deluxe.com

HRD Forum: http://forums.hrdsoftwarellc.com

Atlas Shrugged iPad App

In case you didn't get a sense of Ayn Rand's philosophy from the book itself, you can view supplement material as part of the iPad app:

Includes:
-Handwritten, original manuscript pages and notes from the author’s journals regarding key scenes 
-Video and audio excerpts from Rand’s talks on hot button topics from the book and her philosophy, courtesy of The Ayn Rand Archives 
-Full length audio lectures, including a Q&A on Objectivism, an outline of its basic principles, and commentary on the state of business and government (covered in the ever-timely lecture “Is Atlas Shrugging?”)

A Behind-the-Scenes Look at the Author’s Life and Groundbreaking Philosophy:
-Illustrated, revealing timeline of the author’s life and major works, including personal documents, letters, and correspondence 
-Photo gallery of images of the author at work
-Informative articles on the author’s life, influences, and her philosophy of Objectivism

Additional reader enrichment materials:
-Collection of sharable quotes and passages from the novel (via Facebook, Twitter, and email) embedded within the reading experience
-A fun “Who Said That?” quiz to challenge readers to recall some of the most memorable lines from the novel
-Endorsements and testimonials from celebrities and business leaders on the enduring power and influence of Atlas Shrugged
-A Discussion Guide to aid in book group or classroom conversations, and a catalog of the author’s available titles
-The trailer for the upcoming documentary Ayn Rand and the Prophecy of Atlas Shrugged., from Mad Universe LLC

Additional Functionality 
-Easy in-book navigation features, including text search, bookmarks, custom reader settings, and the ability to flip pages with a tap or swipe
-Sidebar annotations alongside the novel hide away for an uninterrupted reading experience
-Complete app functionality in both portrait and landscape orientation
-Reproduced archival documents and images that can be enlarged to full screen with a double tap

. . . and much more!

Learn to Code 2

In addition to the Code Year project, Lifehacker has their Learn to Code: The Full Beginner's Guide available in 5 parts. I always learn better when I have multiple sources. Different books/courses/instructors complement each other and help me fill in the weak spots.

Code Year - Learn to code in 2012

parislemon Screw your other new years resolutions -- learn to code! (nice new initiative from Codecademy) codeyear.com #codeyearSun, Jan 01 18:44:20 from Tweet Button retweeted by arrington

Paying for Apps

This article/cartoon pokes fun at our reluctance to pay a dollar for an app when we routinely buy $5 coffees, $200 phones, etc. It struck a cord with me as I buy very few apps - most apps that we have bought have been for our three year old. I think the reason I avoid buying apps is that I don't think I will use them over the long haul. Of course, I drink my Starbucks all in one sitting, too.

Via Slashdot.org