The Daily App

The Daily App: Find My iPhone

May 16, 2012

Whether you're responsible for just a single phone or those of an entire company, there are likely to be times when you'll need help finding one. For such times there's Find My iPhone, a free app from Apple that instantly locates any iPhone, iPad, iPod Touch or Mac that can take steps to help you find or disable it or to erase its data.

To find a misplaced device, it must first have Find My iPhone installed and enabled in its iCould settings. To find that phone, simply install Find My iPhone on another iPhone, iPad, iPod Touch or Mac and sign in with your Apple ID. The tool displays the whereabouts of the missing device on a Google Map and offers options for playing a sound, displaying a message, locking or remotely wiping the device.

It will play a sound at full volume for two minutes, even if the device was set to silent. This particular feature offers students, travelers and other public-place dwellers an immediate (if unsubtle) method of thwarting would-be phone thieves or pranksters.

Find My iPhone requires an Internet connection and comes with a few additional limitations. To locate an WiFi-enabled iPad, iPod Touch or Mac, it must be connected to a registered WiFi network. Macs must not be asleep. An account with iCloud or MobileMe is required, and the tool requires iOS 5 or OS X Lion 10.7.2 for iCould users or iOS 3.1.3 for users of MobileMe.

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The Daily App: Agora Briefcase

May 15, 2012

For organizations in which dropbox-style file sharing doesn't provide enough control, today's daily app might have an answer. Agora Briefcase by Mighty Mack combines an Android and iOS app with a cloud-based service that allows companies to push files out to devices or to share file content without releasing the documents and risking unauthorized distribution or deletion of the originals.

Agora Briefcase allows the creation of virtual briefcases that contain files to be shared with individuals or groups; keeping all participants in sync. The Agora Briefcase app links the device with a company's back-end system, making files available with just a click or two. Numerous file formats are supported, including pdf, multimedia pdf, m4v and mov. Files can be set for downloading or viewing-only, and can be set for off-line access.

What's more, people carrying an Agora Briefcase also have the ability to allow other users to place files on their tablet in an easy and secure way, go in and to remove them at any time or invite others to view what's on their tablet. For example, files might be shared among boardroom executives for viewing and navigation during a meeting and unshared when the meeting is over. A full-featured trial version is free and includes 100MB of file sharing space.

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The Daily App: ScreenLeap

May 08, 2012

Fans of the hit TV show "24" might recall the phrase "send it to my screen" oft-shouted in the CTU operations center when one operative needed to take over what was happening on someone else's workstation while still using his or her own. Turns out, there's an app for that, and it's already on any smartphone with a browser.

Startup ScreenLeap offers a screen sharing system that the company claims can share any screen to any other system with no downloads and no sign-ups. Just click the button on the ScreenLeap home page and send a generated code to Jack Bauer or someone else you want to share your screen with. All Jack has to do is enter that code at www.screenleap.com and he can see your screen (almost) instantly.

The HTML and JavaScript tool displays the remote screen within a browser windows either in full size or scaled to fit the window. A Java applet does the work in the sending end after a quick download complete with informative screenshots.

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The Daily App: Tasks

May 07, 2012

One sure sign of success is the realization that you can no longer keep all the stuff you need to do in your head. Life coaches often suggest that list making is the first positive step toward an organized life.

If you're already using Google Tasks, then installing Google's Tasks app for Android smartphones and tablets should be on your to-do list.

Developed by Team Tasks, the free tool keeps Google Tasks in sync with between desktop, laptop and all handheld devices, works as a widget on Android 2.2 to deliver due-date reminders, works with multiple Google accounts, integrates with Google sharing and comes with light and dark themes.

Updated to v1.2.5 on May 4, Tasks now has more options for widgets, including special adjustments for tablets, delivers PED reminders, plus a 4x4 widget for Froyo and Gingerbread editions of Android. And despite being written with the design language introduced with Ice Cream Sandwich (Android 4.0), Tasks works with Android 2.2 or higher. The free (ad-supported) version has all the features of the $0.99 (ad free) version, and all tasks and related data remain in place when upgrading. Tasks isn't as polished as Any.DO's To Do List, but it seems to have the sync thing down.

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The Daily App: Turn by Turn Navigation

May 04, 2012

Why spend $100 or more to equip field workers with GPS navigation systems for their vehicles when they can be using a smartphone app? Today's daily app is Turn by Turn Navigation, a highly rated $4.99 app for Windows Phone 7.5 that speaks directions to the driver, just like dedicated GPS appliances do.

Developed by GPS Tuner LLC, which makes similar navigational apps for Android and iOS, Turn by Turn Navigation accepts input by touching points of interest on a map found after address or name searches. A data connection is required; off-line versions also are available. In addition, the tool can navigate directly to addresses in the Windows address book.

Other features include automatic map rotation based on heading, the ability to save favorites and points of interest, real-time traffic reports and rerouting, automatic rerouting for missed turns or in-route course changes, map pre-loading and automatic volume control based on travel speed. Turn by Turn Navigation also provides text-based travel itineraries, walking directions, U.S. and metric distance units, and has the ability to avoid toll roads. It supports 13 languages including Greek, Polish and Portuguese. A free trial version can plan trips as far as 12 miles.

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