GadgetReview

Lose your car much?  iPhone applications that use the handset’s built-in GPS to mark a starting location are nothing new, but the Car Finder app not only stores your starting location, but uses the iPhone 3GS’ camera and compass to show you an ‘augmented reality’ of where your car is located.   Note that this app is only fully operational with the iPhone 3GS – it needs the compass.  You can grab it now for $0.99.

[via Cultofmac]

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There aren’t too many iPhone apps out there that get me hot and bothered, let alone some DIY kit to go along with it.  But John Boile’s WiFi Router light dimmer, called Dimlit, has flipped the attention switch in my brain.

Attached to a WiFi router (aside from circuit boards and wiring) are 4 AC outlets.  Plug in any light and the router can control their voltage by using the accompanying iPhone app, which allows you to adjust the lights in variety of manners using a set of slider bars, tapping a button or waving the phone around in the air (accelerometer).  Hit the video below for a complete walk through, which includes the whitest dance party you’ll ever see.

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A guy over at Wi-Fi Planet by the name of Mike Flynn put forth an interesting idea, one that’s almost as terrifying as it is plausible, and is possibly terrifying because it’s plausible, is the idea that the iPhone is actually a kind of disease.

Flynn believes that it has one primary symptom, to spread virulently through your life and force you to filter all your experiences in life through it.  The sheer number of applications, Flynn posits, allow you to do just about everything with your iPhone.  For instance, Flynn planned to take his wife to a movie.  His first thought was to check his Moviefone app, which he did, and the results it gave altered his plans.  An iPhone app changes his reading habits from magazines to books, since the iPhone doesn’t allow for magazine reading.  An iPhone app changed his music listening habits, his workout habits, and plenty else.

Flynn traces back the common cause of all this to one key point–the iPhone.  Without its many apps and sheer ubiquity, he wouldn’t have these problems, he claims, especially since he’s used Blackberries and similar devices without trouble, nor does he recall other people having these same issues with any other device.

So is the iPhone a kind of parasite?  The idea’s worthy of a horror movie, but whether or not it’s true likely depends on the user.  I personally wonder if he’s describing not so much a disease as an addiction (which are admittedly very close in nature, though addiction really isn’t caused by bacteria or viruses but rather at the genetic level), but that’s a fairly fine point on its own.  These things are here to stay, so we’re going to have to learn to live with them.

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Facebook iPhone 3.0 has officially passed the critical eye of Apple and is now available for download.  The new features include the ability to upload videos from an iPhone 3GS, view events and RSVP, landscape mode, a built-in web browser, a quick call and text function as well as a myriad of other improvements.  It also looks like they’ve cleaned up the UI a bit.

• See your upcoming Events and RSVP
• See your friends’ birthdays
• See Pages and post updates and photos to Pages you administer
• Write Notes and read your friends’ Notes
• Upload videos from an iPhone 3GS
• Upload photos to any album
• Complete photo management (create albums, delete albums, delete photos, delete photo tags)
• Change your Profile Picture
• Zoom into photos
• Like posts and photos
• See the same News Feed as the Facebook website
• Visit links in a builtin web browser
• See all of your friends’ friends and Pages
• See mutual friends
• Easily search for people and Pages
• Make friend requests
• Become a fan of Pages
• Quickly call or text your friends
• Create shortcuts to your favorite friends and Pages
• Friends sorted by first or last name according to your settings
• Chat friends sorted alphabeticaly

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What was suppose to be a 2 week downtime apparently turned into 8 months.  If you recall, back in January of this year Chipotle launched and pulled their iPhone app.  They said it was something to do with server over load, but who really knows.  In any event, after 8 months of development they’ve relaunched their iPhone application that allows Chipotle customers to order and pay for their meals right from their handset.  Chipotle also announced a new web based ordering system, which might better explain the delays.  Hit the ‘read’ link to grab the app.

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Yesterday we saw Kensington’s take on converting the iPhone into a full blown alarm clock complete with charging stand.  Okay, I shouldn’t say complete because one very important thing was missing: the alarm clock.  More importantly the iPhone is missing one feature in their alarm clock app, which is the ability to wake to your tunes.

The Playlist Alarm Clock from Chilli X allows you to create two playlists: one for falling asleep and one for waking.  The app requires you to make a playlist within iTunes or the app itself, but regardless of the amount of songs entered you can set the amount of time they’ll play.

Currently the app is void of any 5 star reviews with one reviewer pointing to a flaw that states you can’t let the iPhone fall into standby or lock mode otherwise it won’t work in wake mode.  Another reviewer notes that you can’t change the volume of the app and you’re unable to randomize the playlist, which means you’ll experience the same sequence day after day.  I’d probably be able to over look many of these flaws if it were free, but at $0.99 I think I’ll pass.

[via Unpluggd]

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As talks of a turn-by-turn GPS arriving on the iPhone heated up, so did the debate as to whether or not companies would charge a monthly fee.  Then AT&T released their Navigator app for the iPhone and reaffirmed everyone’s suspicions and ultimately leading many folks to say or suggest that you’re better off buying a standalone GPS unit.  Fear not, though, because Navigon has got your back.

Today, the company released the first turn-by-turn GPS application for the iPhone that doesn’t include a monthly fee.  In their infinite amount of wisdom they probably realized how profitable and fast they could move a GPS system that would only have a one time fee and zero hardware costs.  So starting today, right now you can grab their iPhone application, which provides many of the same features found on a standalone GPS unit for $69.99.  The price will increase to $100 on August 15th when they’ll probably issue the app’s next update.  Just keep in mind that the app is a whopping 1.29GB, which can probably be attributed to the map data.

So what features are included with Navigon’s iPhone app?  Voice announcements, intelligent address entry, Reality View Pro, Lane Assistant Pro, real signpost display, day and night mode, direct access to your iPhone contact list, the latest NAVTEQ maps, 2D and 3D map views, access to user defined POIs, one click take me home and more.

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As you grow older your body begins to wither and fall apart, especially is the case of your hearing.  As the years pass your range of hearing lessens and the higher pitch sounds are harder to hear.  Taking advantage of this phenomenon is the ‘Kids Be Gone’ app for the iPhone.  Download it, turn it on and set it to the appropriate age of those you’d like to deter.  As a result they’ll be forced to leave the room or incur the beyond frustrating high pitch noise.

About 4 years ago we saw a similar, albeit stand alone invention called the Mosquito which was designed to deter loitering teens at local convenience stores.  Now you can just jack your iPhone into a set of speakers and you’ll be void of young thugs and gangsters on your corner.  The app is available now for $0.99.

[via Cultofmac]

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Griffin Technology didn’t raise no fool.  Today the iPhone/iPod accessories manufacturer churned out what I believe to be their first app.  Designed to promote and work in conjunction with their Navigate FM radio plug for the iPhone, the iFM Radio app let’s you view what’s playing on the radio stations in your area.  It figures this all out by using your iPhone’s GPS and then sucks down the associated info for your perusal, which include album, artist and track name.  They’ll even sell you the song via the iTunes store – ah, how nice.  You can grab the app now.

Of note, there are 5 reviews so far and they’re all one star, ouch.

[via Crunchgear]

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One of the inherent challenges with any phone’s battery is determining just how much time you’ve got left until you need a recharge.  For instance, say you wanna surf the net or more importantly need to get through a 1 hour movie, do you have enough power?

Launched in the app store yesterday for the iPhone, the Battery Go! app lets you see how many minutes of juice you’ve got remaining to: surf the net, watch a video, listen to music or make a phone call.  A slider bar allows you to adjust the app according to your current charge or select a hypothectical charge.  The makers, Collegekidapp.com says that it will work to within a 5% accuracy, which is pretty reasonable.  You can grab it now for $0.99.

[via PCMag]

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