Six Ways with Tech Support

Inspired by our easy-to-adjust Monitor Arm, we found six more items that help maximize your everyday devices. Read more

Unplggd: Inexpensive Alarm Clock Apps

Alarm: the one phone feature predating mobile internet and color screens, and as useful as any other feature to this day. Some of us find it hard to wake up each morning and getting to your ‘office’ on time is just as important if you are working from home as it is if you leave the house for work. Here’s a few alarm clock apps we recommend for Android, iOS, and Windows Phone 7 users.

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How Do You Find New Apps?

The saying “there’s an app for that” has become incredibly trite given its short lifespan. No matter how common the saying might be, the fact of the matter is that there probably is an app for whatever you are looking for. With so many apps available for so many different platforms, app discovery has become a problem. To help ease the pain, we found some amazing discovery resources for all of your favorite platforms.

iOS App Discovery With hundreds of thousands of apps available through Apple’s App Store, finding the best measurement convertor can be a daunting task. AppShopper helps by not only providing recommendations, but also showing update history, reviews, and even price changes. AppShopper also has an iOS app along with RSS feeds so you never miss a chance to discover the next great app.

Android App DiscoveryBecause of the “open” nature of the Android platform, there are quite a few more resources that allow for more robust discovery on Android. AppAware is an application that allows users to find new apps by tracking installs, updates, and removals. AppAware goes a step further by adding location into the mix. This provides great exposure for local apps who thrive based on usage in a specific area rather than around the globe.

Chrome Web App Discovery Playing off the fact that there really is an app for almost everything, the Google Chrome extension – aptly named There’s a web app for that – provides users with app suggestions based on their browsing history. No need to randomly guess if there is a an app that could replace your web browsing. Now just browse normally and this extension will search for you.

If none of these work for you, or if you are looking for a more curated way to discover apps, the be sure to check out Unplggd’s Weekly App Recommendations, where we cover everything from mobile, to desktop, to web apps.

By Jesse Leikin

Unplggd: 5 Things You Didn’t Know About Your iPhone

A good phone is like a good partner. Even though you’ve spent years together, they’re still constantly surprising you with the things they know and do. After a quick fling with a Blackberry and a rebound with a pay-as-you-go phone, we’re happy to say we’ve found a keeper in our iPhone. It’s been almost two years together now, and she’s still got some new tricks.

It makes calls! Just kidding. Well, half kidding. The phone is probably the least-used app on our home screen. But there’s a whole other mess of cool productivity tricks that Apple’s developers have built into the iPhone. For a roundup of the more common keyboard shortcuts and scrolling tricks, like how to take a picture of the screen or drop a pin in maps, check out Apple’s iPhone Tips page.

But the tricks go ever deeper. Here are a few advanced user tips we’ve found around the web. Did you know your iPhone could…

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Unplggd: Listen While You Work

Maybe it’s about time you finally update from those tiny and tinny sounding computer speakers you’ve lived with. For small space dwellers, an iPod dock can be an advisable option for music/audio entertainment. Consider one of these higher end docking units, a little bit pricey compared to cheaper, more common models. But what they lack in budget conscious price, they make up in sound quality…and looks. Here are our favorites.

B&W Zeppelin The Zeppelin is a speaker system with an iPod docking station that fills a room with deep, lifelike sound, and delivers musical detail that you won’t believe your iPod is capable of. We love the simple design and easy to use interface. 30-pin iPod connector, 3.5mm mini jack analogue/optical, digital USB 2.0 slave (for software upgrades) it also outputs S-video (via mini DIN).

We’re currently in the process of testing out their latest Apple Airplay-compatible, Zeppelin Air, an updated model which improves on the original in both features and sound. Review in detail coming soon.

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Unplggd: Is Inductive Charging the Way to Go?

Can you imagine charging all your devices by just dropping them onto a surface without messing with cables or connectors? Just pull your mobile device from your pocket, place it on the special tray, and inductive charging works its magic…it’s that easy (at least in concept). With inductive charging, the task of powering your device is arguably easier and one which requires one less cable to worry about. Here are a selection of inductive charging solutions and some pros and cons about wireless charging.

Of course the catch with inductive charging, the same technology that charges your cordless toothbrush, is users are required to add a slide or snap-on receiver case for devices to work with these cordless charging solutions. This means bulkier form factors, though one could argue these double up as protective casing anyway and we like the idea of reducing the amount of times we need to plug-in over and over (thus our love for the Eye-Fi).

Currently inductive charging is a compromise between form versus function, alongside a battle of standards (you can’t use one brand of charging sleeve with another brand’s charging mat), so the applicable desirability is a personal choice. We’re just waiting for the day when Android devices, iPhones/iPads and even handheld gaming devices all offer inductive charging as a built-in feature…

Everyone knows Duracell when it comes to batteries, so no big surprise they’re on the forefront of inductive charging solutions. With their myGrid, you simply attach a Power Sleeve or Power Clip to each device and drop it onto myGrid to charge. You can charge up to 4 devices at once. Like your cordless electric toothbrush, the connections are safe to touch without worry of electrocution, and using the device helpssave energy, as it avoids over-charging thanks to an automatic auto-off once devices are fully charged.

The Powerplate induction charger might be worth considering for older iPhone and Blackberry Curve 8900 users, especially since they’re being heavily discounted. Arguably one of the nicer looking power supplying surfaces, the Powerplate is due for an update for newer models.

The Powermat 2x Wireless Charging Mat is a design-friendly wirelessly charging in multiple locations in the home and office, thanks to a streamlined footprint, making it a nightstand-friendly option for HTC, Apple, Blackberry, Motorola and even Nintendo DS users. We appreciate the unit notifies a charging connection has been made using a telltale sound; a second, similar sound is heard when the device is removed. Communication between the mat and the receiver (via RFID) allows the mat to deliver an exact amount of power for the proper length of time so that the transfer of power is safe and efficient and no energy is wasted. When a device reaches full charge, power is shut off to that device, which avoids overcharging of the device’s battery as well as saves energy.

With the Energizer Inductive Charger, there’s never been an easier way to stay charged and stay organized. And because it’s built with Qi, the new universal standard for inductive charging, the Energizer Inductive Charger will power any Qi-enabled device now and for many years to come. Simply place a Qi-enabled door or sleeve on your smartphone, set it down on the charger and you’re done. We love the simplicity of the whole process!

By Joel Pirela

Unplggd: Pantone For the iPad and iPhone? Yes, Please.

Oh, the memories of going through Pantone swatch books and fans, trying to fine the perfect CMYK color back in the day when we worked in print and packaging. Ask any designer and they’re likely to wax poetic about their worn out and trusted color matching guide. Knowing this, one could do worse that possibly consider gifting one of these Pantone branded iPhone 4 or iPad cases for the designer in their life…

Accessory manufacturer Case Scenario is offering 9 different colours for the iPhone 4 case, our favourites being those belonging in the gray to black range, while iPad owners have 4 options of blue, red, black and gray. No word on pricing yet, but considering other Pantone brand approved licensing, both accessories should come in at a reasonable price.

(For more cool Pantone stuff that could easily find it’s way under the Christmas tree check out the rest of Gregory’s post here).

By Gregory Han

Wireless Synching? We Hope So…

“If there’s one thing that drives us crazy it’s trying to find a particular syncing cable in our bag o’ USB cords. There have been numerous occasions we’ve cursed our missing iPod Touch cable and cursed Apple for not having a wireless sync option. One developer has coded a solution, but it’s up in the air whether or not Steve Jobs and company will approve its sale in the iTunes App Store.

The app uses your existing WiFi network to sync your iPhone, iPod, or iPad with your computer. U.K.-based developer Greg Hughes has even engineered a Windows version.

According to Rick Broida of Cnet, “In an e-mail I received from Hughes, he says he plans to submit Wi-Fi Sync at the end of this week. Chances are we’ll be waiting at least another week after that to find out if the application makes it through. If it does, it’ll cost you $4.99–a perfectly reasonable price for such a desirable capability, IMHO.” We fully agree, but we fear Broida may be right in predicting that the folks at Apple won’t approve this useful app. We’re keeping our fingers crossed.

By Sonia Zjawinski”

Inspiration: A Stylist Gets Busy

Deb McLean is an Australian stylist with a talent for making minimal look warm and inviting. She also takes really interesting moody iPhone photos. All the images in this post are shot on her phone and her blog has a section devoted to them.

Can you tell us a bit about your work? What does a ‘normal’ day involve for you? Well, actually, as a stylist a lot of my work happens outside the home. But I do have a large office and props room set up in my house. I style for both interiors and food accounts. They are quite different from one another so it’s a nice balance. I arrange all interior propping plus if needed I paint and set construct in the studio. I’m very hands on.  In a food shoot I am cooking and plating food stylishly of course, plus responsible for all the dinnerware props and surfaces etc.

How big is your work space? It is around 5 meters square [about 53 square feet]. I share it with my partner  Colin who is a graphic designer. We have a media room attached to our lovely white space with big white desks and lots of color-coded designer books. We love our music so when I do sit at my desk to blog [Deb’s blog is Busy Being Fabulous] it is a lovely relaxing space to be in. Each night I spend some hours compiling my next blog entry. I love it, especially when I get such great feed back. It puts a smile on my face!

Is there any form of technology that really inspires you? It has got to be my iPhone! I’m in love with what I can achieve and I am forever shooting fully styled  little still life stories for my blog. It’s where my creativity can let loose.

What desk accessory can’t you do without? My Mac computer and Bose speakers. Without them I would be lost.

Do you have any tips for organizing a home work space? Box it. Neat is the word of the day. A work space has to have order so it functions effectively. But, a work space should also feel like home. Books, magazines, fun collections of stuff that inspire you give it a lovely mood. It should have your personality. Clients love to see snippets of your personality in an office space. I love picture mood boards that you can alter depending on you design addictions.