Category: Iphone-6-plus

My Favorite Apps for iPhone 6 plus and iPad Air 2

11/16/2014

It has been a while since I have talked about apps, so I thought I would update my list of favorites since I have new devices that change the experience.

5 Favorite Audio Apps:

1. Rdio - My favorite music app. They need a landscape mode for the iPhone, but other than that is currently more full featured than Spotify and fits my needs better than Tidal.

2. Downcast - I listen to a lot of podcasts and I love the way this app has 30 second and 2 minute skip forward options. This app also has a convenient landscape mode.

3. Music - Apple's iTunes app. Works with Siri, iTunes Match, iTune Radio, and home sharing. Landscape mode could be more full featured.

4. DS Audio - Requires a Synology NAS, but will stream lossless files when I am away from home. At home, it adds unique Airplay features, as well.

5. AirMusic - Will allow an iOS device to act as an Airplay receiver. This may be gone from the app store because I can no longer find the link.

5 Favorite Remote Control Apps:

1. Roomie Remote - Great app that uses wifi to control all of your entertainment devices.

2. Remote - Apple's Remote app for AppleTV and iTunes.

3. Rowmote (Pro) - Works as a keyboard and mouse for a computer.

4. Splashtop Remote - Will show your computer's screen on your iPad/iPhone.

5. Fidelia - This will control the Fidelia music player on a Mac. Fidelia is an alternative to iTunes that plays more formats and theoretically has better sound quality.

(I already mentioned Rdio, but the app also works as a remote for Rdio running on a computer. I use that feature quite a bit.)

5 Favorite Server/iCloud apps:

1. Transmit - Will transmit files from the iPhone/iPad to a computer.

2. Evernote - Saves articles, notes, photos, webpages, etc.. for access on many different devices.

3. CrashPlan - I use this computer program to backup files and the app allows access to those files. It is short on features, but it works for my needs.

4. FileBrowser - This app can see any file on your network. It is unique because it will also see files on hard drives attached to a router.

5. Dropbox - Save files to the web. The app is seeing more competition lately, but is still in my top 5 cloud apps.

5 Favorite Photo Related Apps:

1. Camera + - Great camera app to use in place of Apple's camera app.

2. Lightroom - If you have a subscription to Adobe, you can use this app to Flag and edit photos.

3. Snapseed - A fun to use powerful photo editor.

4. Eye-Fi - Allows photos to be transferred from camera's eye-fi card to iOS device.

5. Flickr - My favorite online photo gallery. Allows a terabyte of storage.

5 Favorite Apps for Reading:

1. Kindle Reader - Great for books. I also have an old "keyboard Kindle" I use at the beach.

2. Next Issue - Great for Magazines. Easily the best magazine app for the iPhone 6 plus. It uses landscape mode and allows you to scroll down the page, so text is large enough to read.

3. FlipBoard - The best reader for Blogs and articles. It also has plug-ins for Twitter and Facebook.

4. Twitterrific - Great landscape mode for iOS, so it works great with iPhone 6 plus. If you haven't tried it in a while, they have also added larger images in the last couple of weeks (which was my main issue with the app).

5. USA Today/Commercial Appeal - National and Local newspapers. USA Today looks great and has imbedded videos and images. I am cheating and putting the local paper in this section, as well.

5 Favorite Apps for Video:

1. Netflix - Always a favorite. They have now added 1080p for the iPhone 6+.

2. Slingplayer- This allows complete control and use of my Directv box via the iPhone. You have to buy a Slingbox to hook to the Directv box.

3. DS Video - Once again, it requires a Synology NAS, but you use can use the app to pull up a video and stream video to the iOS device or directly from the NAS to an AppleTV.

4. MediaConnect - Access servers and play media. It will launch Flexplayer for video and you need to pay extra for unsupported formats.

5. Plex - Plex running on a computer will transcode video to an iOS supported format on the fly. It also has access to Cnet, Netflix, and other video apps. For old iOS devices that no longer get updates, like my first gen iPod Touch, if you have it installed, it is a great way to get new features via those plug ins.

5 Favorite Network apps:

1. Directv app - This allows streaming and works as a remote control for supported boxes.

2. Xfinity app - Stream movies and TV programming to iOS with a cable subscription.

3. HBO Go- Obviously, this requires an HBO subscription, but Comcast gave me access for a year with my internet subscription. My cable box is a piece of junk that gets a 480i signal, but with the app I can get access to great quality video.

4. WatchTCM - Unlike some of the other networks, it provides access to Directv users. Not sure why some of the networks do not allow you to sign in via Directv, but it is one of the reasons I have this app as one of my favorites. Also, its access to older movies is awesome.

5. PBS app - These guys do it right. You launch the app, give it access to your location, and it shows the stations available to you. It will then allow you access to programming. CBS is probably the worst. They have you log in, then when you try to watch a show (like Big Bang Theory) it tells you that you need a subscription to CBS Online (or something like that). Big thumbs down for CBS.

The 5 Best of the Rest:

1. Nightstand - Great clock app. I love the ability to put on an album and set how long it will play while going to sleep. It also allows the photo background to be changed.

2. Weight Watchers app - Tracks points and has a scanner for adding foods automatically if you are subscribed.

3. AllMusic - This app is the best for music reviews of new album releases.

4. The Weather Channel app - Hourly weather updates, 10 day forcast, radar, videos, etc.

5. TunnelBear - This sets up a VPN and provides private browsing. They give you a certain amount of free browsing or you can subscribe for more data.

Favorite Apps for the iPad:

While all of the apps I mentioned above will work on both platforms, some apps are a lot better with the bigger screen:

1. Pixelmator - This is a great photo editing app that takes advantage of the fast processor and extra screen space on the iPad Air 2.

2. Lightroom - Mentioned above, but the extra speed and screen size pay dividends with this app.

3. Next Issue - Magazine app. They have a great solution for the iPhone 6 plus, but it is still a lot better on the iPad's bigger screen.

4. Zinio/Newstand - Both great for reading magazines and both are awful on the iPhone. They could learn a lot from Next Issue.

5. All video apps. Bigger screen means it looks better on the iPad.

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A week with the iPhone 6 plus

10/17/2014

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I have been using the 6 plus for a week now, so I thought I would follow up my initial thoughts with my latest feelings after a week of lugging it around.

Over the weekend, I tested the iPhone 6 plus with the lightning port camera connection kit, t3hub, and Dragonfly DAC and I am happy to report that it works fine and will send out a 24/96 audio signal if you have "hi rez" files. (Please see this blog post for more on using the Dragonfly DAC with the iPhone.)

Secondly, I found that I had no issues mounting it with the $16 temporary cup holder mount that I bought when I got a new car back in May. It will allow the 6 plus to be mounted in landscape or portrait mode. I thought about getting one of the air vent mounts, but I can live without one of my cup holders easier than living without a vent (especially during Memphis summers). I will probably get a Kuda mount with a Proclip charging cradle when they are available (I have had this combo in my car in the past and it looks great and charges the phone all the time), but I am not in any hurry since this works fine.

Is that an iPhone 6 plus in your pocket or ........?

After living with it for a week, I haven't had any issues with it fitting in pockets. As I mentioned, I normally wear Bill's Khakis that have deep pockets and the size of the 6 plus had no impact compared to my 4s. I did buy a new case for it and it made me feel more comfortable than the bumper case I had on it before, but I still pay closer attention when I am slipping it into a pocket. I have dropped my 4s in the past because I wasn't paying close enough attention and I have gone out of my way to make sure it goes directly into the pocket especially when I am on concrete.

I should mention that I did kneel down to clean out our pool skimmer baskets and I noticed the phone being squeezed. Nothing was damaged, but it was a gentle reminder that the phone is bigger than my old phones.

The Typical Workday

I brought an adapter to work so that I could plug my new phone into my old 30 pin cable. It worked fine until I updated the case on Wednesday. The new case doesn't work with the adapter because the case is too thick. At home, I had the cable that came with the phone for charging, but I had to order a cable for work. While I was waiting, I went all day without plugging it in. I should mention that I stream Bluetooth audio all day and I still had a lot of juice left when I got home (more than 50 percent battery power). That is an amazing increase over the 4s.

Also, the screen is a lot easier to read and it was a much better experience for quick Twitterific updates, email, and jumping onto the internet while my computer was tied up with processing. With the extra real estate, it is just so much easier to use at my desk.

One handed use is overrated

I may be alone in my thinking, but I find one handed use overrated. However, I am not the type of person that walks through the store with a box of cereal in one hand, while texting on my iPhone with the other. Really, you probably shouldn't be doing that, either. I am personally hoping this leads to a new etiquette being forced by necessity. You want to text someone while driving? Pull over or wait! Obviously, there will be some idiots using it while resting it on the steering wheel, but hopefully, that will be easier for the police to notice.

Keep in mind, I am not saying it is impossible to use the 6 plus one handed, especially if you have large hands. However, I just haven't run into a scenario where it has been necessary. I have been using it with one hand this week, just to see if it was possible, but it isn't a natural experience (at least at this point it isn't).

One thing I did to make it easier to use with one hand was move my favorite apps from the top of the screen to the middle and below. Below is a pic of the apps I can reach with my thumb without doing a lot of maneuvering in the hand (inside of the green arrows). For people with smaller hands, you may have to take advantage of reachability more often (I often use it for the top rows inside the arrows and everything above the arrows) and change your icons to make them easier to reach....or get used to using two hands (which I prefer).

Dweebish, unusual, or just more natural?

Back in the 80s, the huge cellphone next to your head was a status symbol. Due to the phones getting smaller and smaller, it looks more dweebish than stylish these days. Of course, with the iPhone entering the large phone market, a lot more people will be using larger phones. This means that it could become less weird looking when you see someone holding a phablet to their head.

For me, it feels more natural to use a larger phone. Of course, I was raised on phones that had large receivers, in fact, I still have some of them around the house (see the red phone on the left in the pic below), so talking on a tiny phone, even the 4s, has always felt unnatural to me.

Out and About & Home Use

For me, it is no different than using the 4s when I am out and about. I have no issues mounting it in my car or putting it in a pocket. As I mentioned before, I am not one of those people with a phone always in hand or up to my head. Maybe that is from being involved in photography for many years (off and on), but I am always more interested in my surroundings than my phone when I am out.

At home, I am surprised by just how much I am using it when compared to the iPad 3. For twitter, quick looks at the web, Flipboard, music, Roomie Remote, and many other apps, it is easier to use than the iPad, but not so small that it makes it an awful experience. I still prefer video, magazines, books with artwork, safari, and a few other apps more on the iPad, but I enjoy the iPhone 6 plus for nearly everything when compared to the 4s. I still plan on keeping my 4s for a few reasons, but I never really liked the small form factor. I love the iOS ecosystem, but I was going to move on if Apple didn't come out with a larger iPhone this year.

Really Leo?

Watching Twit.tv, I have seen Leo Laporte recommend the smaller iPhone 6 over the 6 plus. While I am not saying the 6 plus is better for everyone, I would explain the differences to someone and let them decide. One of the downsides to the 6 plus is that when it came out, there weren't many apps that could take advantage of the new screen size and that is one of his criticisms of the plus. However, apps are being updated daily (link pulls up App/iTunes store with some of the optimized apps) and the general public doesn't get a new phone every week to test. They use the same phone for one, or more likely, two full years before they upgrade. I am confident in saying that there will be hundreds, if not thousands of apps that will work natively on the 6 plus over the next year or two. I am not a developer, but from what I have read, optimizing for the new phones is fairly easy. Actually, three of my most frequently used apps (Flipboard, Twitter, and Evernote) are already updated.

Photos

I admit that I haven't used the iPhone 6 plus a lot for photos yet (I am sure I will post on that subject later). However, even with the quick snapshots I have taken, it is noticeably better than the 4s. The picture below was taken in the normally dim lighting of our living room, but the lack of noise compared to the 4s pics I have taken in the past, is extraordinary.

A couple more edited pics taken with the 6+:

While we are on the subject of photography, many experts are saying that the 6 plus is better than the 6, especially in low lighting and video, but that shouldn't influence which phone you buy. For people that care about our photos, we want the best camera in a phone we can get. Having a slight edge, mainly due to the optical stabilization, is an important quality to me and probably many others.

Video Performance

I went into the new phone with the idea that I probably wouldn't use the video capabilities very often. However, it is easy to use and the results are outstanding. Below are a couple very short videos that show how much detail you can get close up and the slow motion capabilities. Needless to say, I will use this feature more than I thought I would.

Which iPhone for you?

I think the choice comes down to whether you can handle the size. However, I have seen women bloggers with small hands say that they prefer the 6 plus, so I am not sure how large of a percentage of the population would have trouble handling it on a daily basis. However, I would think it would come down to personal preference. My wish has been for something nice and thin, that would fit in the pocket without being noticeable while having the largest display that would still fit that criteria...and hopefully it would run iOS*. The iPhone 6 plus fills that role perfectly.

* As a side note, I have never used another recently popular OS and I prefer not to. Not because there is something inherently wrong with those systems, but because I have money tied up in iOS apps and I use features like Airplay on a daily basis.

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GET THIS FREE APP NOW!!!

10/16/2014

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There is an app that I just found out about called "AirMusic Player". I would highly recommend downloading it now because it could be gone tomorrow.

There are two "AirMusic" apps, one is free and the other is $2.99. I downloaded both of them, but from what I can tell, only the free version sets up as an Airplay receiver. The paid version is supposed to play music to PS3 and other consoles (I haven't tested it). I was hoping it was the same as the free version, but without the annoying ads, but I guess they don't have that available at this time. (I still need to research a bit more to say for sure).

As I mentioned above, this app allows an iPhone to be setup as an Airplay receiver for Macs, AppleTVs, iPhones, and I believe other iOS devices. This allows you to send audio from one device to another. For example, you can start a program on your AppleTV, hold down the center button on the remote, and choose "AirMusic Player" as the speaker. Below is a screen shot of the iPhone receiving a audio signal from the new Apple Event from the AppleTV. If you plugged a pair of headphones into the iPhone, you could use it in a way similar to the Roku players that have a headphone receiver in the remote.

As I mentioned in a prior post, I plan to use the iPhone 4S as an Airplay receiver for my new iPhone 6 Plus. This way, I can dock the 4S on a Pure i20 and remotely control what is playing without loosing the use of the iPhone 6. As you can see below, I have selected AirMusic as my Airplay device:

The receiving device shows art work and a hideous advertisement, but I won't spend a lot of time looking at the receiving device since I am controlling everything from a different device. I still would rather have a paid version to get rid of the ads.

The reason I am emphatically saying that you should download it now is because Airfoil had this feature a couple of years ago. Apple made them remove the feature that sent audio from iOS device to iOS device (still works for Mac to iOS).

However, Apple did allow people that paid for the app to roll it back to retain the feature. A lot of people wanted this feature and it was no longer available. Of course, this is a free app, so Apple could just remove it from our devices, but I think it is worth downloading now just in case they get rid of the app, but allow people that already have it to keep it.

As I mentioned, I just learned about the app and haven't used it, other than testing it, but it fills a roll that many people need.

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My Favorite Apps for iPhone 6 plus and iPad Air 2

5 Favorite Audio Apps:

5 Favorite Remote Control Apps:

5 Favorite Server/iCloud apps:

5 Favorite Photo Related Apps:

5 Favorite Apps for Reading:

5 Favorite Apps for Video:

5 Favorite Network apps:

The 5 Best of the Rest:

Favorite Apps for the iPad:

A week with the iPhone 6 plus

Is that an iPhone 6 plus in your pocket or ........?

The Typical Workday

One handed use is overrated

Dweebish, unusual, or just more natural?

Out and About & Home Use

Really Leo?

Photos

Video Performance

Which iPhone for you?

GET THIS FREE APP NOW!!!

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