Tech Spotlight: iPhone 4S Meets Flipboard

I imagine doing a technology blog post about the iPhone is almost like exclaiming "I have this thing called a computer, and you won't believe what it does!" Everyone either has an iphone, wants one or loathes them. But no one is unfamiliar with what this device is, or what it can do.

The thing is though, could the iPhone be the single most useful and stylish tool of all time? I recently upgraded from the iPhone 3G to the 4S and I'm in love all over again. Let's see...this slim thing that fits in my pocket does phone calls, texts, email, internet, movies, games, AND is a music player, photo & video camera, flashlight, GPS map, alarm clock, remote control, and of course...list keeper. These are just the basics that I regularly use the device for. There are over 500,000 apps available!

And with Siri along for the ride within the iPhone 4S, we are witnessing the birth of artificial intelligence for consumers. The other day I was driving, held the home button and said "call Mom". As soon as I spoke I thought "oh this won't work since my Mom is listed by name". Instead, Siri piped up and asked me who my mom was and whether I wanted to refer to her that way from now on. It was simultaneously awesome and creepy. As you may have experienced, you can ask Siri odd questions and get funny answers. Here's a webpage devoted to just that.

One element that really strikes me with the iPhone 4 is its' sleek design. In a world dominated by plastic, the iPhone 4 exterior is made of glass and metal. It feels good in your hand and looks great. These attributes go so well with the intuitive functionality that has always been an Apple staple. What can I say? I'm a devoted fan and an iPhone geek.

Of course, reading the news lately, one has to wonder if this fantastic device comes at a price too high. Not the cost for customers, but for the people making the Apple products in China. The New York Times recently ran this story about inhumane working conditions, and Apple has responded with this coverage of the situation. It's hard to know what's real and what's right in this case, but I personally will be keeping up on the matter.

What I've got loaded on pg 3

What really prompted me to write this blog post is an iPhone app called Flipboard. If you don't have it, I recommend you stop reading this and download it...you know,  now. It's that good, and it's free. Ok, you're still here and not convinced? Let me continue. Flipboard calls itself "Your Social Magazine." In essence, it's a hub for media, and you select the content you're interested in having at your fingertips. Facebook, Twitter, Google Reader, news, sports, photography, video and more are all available as small tiles you compile in your pages. The 'flip' part of Flipboard is the way you move through the stories and features. It's really intuitive, and makes scanning for what you want quick, easy and fun. 

Yacht Rock required

These days Flipboard is just about the only 'media' app I open. I can pick what I'm in the mood for, or search out something new. The content is fresh (not recycled AP news) and the format is appealing. I often come across stories I haven't seen anywhere else. My favorite unique categories are MILapse (time-lapse videos), Flipboard Picks, and of course, Apple News. 

Originally made for iPad, Flipboard was named Apple's iPad App of the Year in 2010. I personally like the way it runs more on the iPhone, since the flip movement is such a great fit. Give it a try, and you may be hooked!