Filling up the ‘pod
on Oct 02 in General by DanThis morning I got an email from Phil, of A Family Runs Through It fame
Dan,
You’re the iTouch Man, right?
What cool things can I put on my wife’s new iTouch? I’ve already installed Sudoku and some Jewel game that she likes, but do you have any other recommendations?
Oh Phil, Phil, what have you done?
As you may or may not know, my history with the iPod touch is a rollercoaster ride of ecstasy and despair. First I found love, then I lost it, and just recently I’ve found it again. Yes that’s right, I’ve bought another one – a 32 gigabyte hunka hunka burnin’ love.
This time I’ve had it engraved on the back: “Dan’s iPod. Do not lose”. That should protect me from any further bereavements.
Kerry of course has an iPhone. That woman always has to go one better than me.
Anyway, back to Phil’s question. I know he was really referring to Apps when he asked for recommendations, but I’ve decided to be a little more comprehensive in my answer.
Music
Way to Normal by Ben Folds. Unlike my other favorite band, Barenaked Ladies, the quality of each new Ben Folds album just keeps getting better and better. This was released Tuesday, and has been on virtually constant re-play in my house ever since. The duet with Regina Spektor (You don’t know me) is a particular stand out, but it’s all good.
The Essential Jerry Reed. Country music is usually a genre I won’t touch with a ten foot pole, but there is just something so joyous and life affirming about Reeds music that speaks volumes to me. Plus he played Snowman in Smokey and the Bandit, so you can’t go wrong.
Podcasts
Adam and Joe. Taken from highlights of their Saturday morning BBC 6 Music Radio Show, these two guys are comic geniuses. At the moment Joe is away in LA and so film director Garth Jennings is sitting in for him. Coincidentally we just watched Jenning’s film Son of Rambow last night and it was rather good.
Hamish and Andy. I’ve only just discovered this one. Hamish and Andy are a coouple of Australian DJ’s who have a radio show over in Oz, and this daily podcast contains the highlights. They are actually quite a bit like Adam and Joe, but a bit more brash. The program has quite an intimate home made feel to it which I find charming, although production values are obviously very high.
The Bugle. Andy Zaltzman and John Oliver’s (the guy from the daily show) audio newspaper for a visual world. Two English men’s satirical take on world politics, although admittedly focused mainly on UK and US news stories. The bugle is consistently funny and well worth a listen.
The Collings and Herrin podcast. Andrew Collins, the slightly less successful half of Collins and Maconie, and Richard Herring, the slightly less successful half of Lee and Herring, team up. Made in Herring’s attic with the built in mic of his MacBook the podcast is a fantastic hour of two funny men talking complete rubbish. I once got an email from Richard Herring you know. Friend of the stars, that’s me.
Apps
Apple have recently started allowing third party developers create applications for the iPod touch and the iPhone. If you buy one of the second generation models (the ones currently on sale) of either of these devices then you get the ability to download new apps automatically. If you have an older model then you can buy a software upgrade that will allow you to do it.
Here are some of the apps Kerry and I use:
Ambiance This handy dandy application plays loops of soothing sounds direct to your earholes. Some of the sounds are very relaxing, and some of them… not so much. Have you ever tried to go to sleep to the sound of a lightsaber? It’s not easy. Ambiance costs £0.59 in the UK. I’m guessing it costs $0.99 in the States.
Facebook. Ever wanted to poke someone from the privacy of your own bedroom? Well now you can with this innovative new application. Actually it’s not all that innovative, basically it just reformats facebook to make it easier to read on the iTouch/iPhone’s screen. It’s pretty nice though, and best of all it’s free.
Last.fm. The Last.fm app allows you to create your own radio station based on an artist or genre. Basically you type in “Flock of Seagulls” or whatever, and Last.fm generates a playlist of artists similar to Flock of Seagulls then streams the music to you. Great stuff. You have to be connected to the internet for it to work obviously. Last.fm is free.
IM+ All-in-one messenger – Allows you to instant message from your iTouch. Covers AOL, ICQ, Yahoo, Google talk, MSN, Jabber and Myspace. I’m on AOL personally, username: dghughes28. I talk to Whit, Lee, Greg and Deb on there. If anyone else fancies having a chat then just give me a IM. IM+ All-in-one messenger is free.
Wikipanion. Much like the Facebook app does for Facebook, Wikipanion increases the usability of the mighty wikipedia for the iPhone/iTouch. Now you can find out the migrational range of the Blue Footed Booby at the touch of a button. Wikipanion is also free, hurrah!
Movies. Gives you names and times of movies playing in local cinemas, as well as allowing you to watch trailers and read reviews etc. All stuff that’s available on the regular net, but it’s nicely laid out here. Kerry and I use it to gaze at longingly while remembering a time before kids when we actually had a life. Free.
Remote. Acts as a remote control for your iTunes through your WiFi network. Last night Kerry had gone to bed before me and I was sitting up reading blogs. All of a sudden “Who needs sleep” by Barenaked Ladies started blurting out of my MacBook’s speakers. As soon as I turned it off then the “Goodnight Song” from Bear in the Big Blue House came on. It was bloody Kerry and her iPhone upstairs sending me not-so-subtle hints to get to bed. Nagging through the wonders of modern technology, bloody marvolous. Remote is free too.
Solebon Solitaire. There are a few solitaire applications out there, but this is the best one we’ve found. It has almost 30 different versions of the game, and each one is devastatingly addictive. This application is the reason my children are no longer fed and clothed and are now running feral. Solebon Solitare costs £0.59.
————
And that’s your lot. Is there anyone left reading this? Anyone? Hello??
I’ll just turn the lights off when I leave then shall I.
Related posts:
- Saturday Review
- I love it so
- Dan and Phil hit the Airwaves
- Check it out now it’s the Antiques Roadshow
- Joe Cornish’s Quantum of Solace theme tune
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Dude! How could you forget my podcast?
http://phobos.apple.com/WebObjects/MZStore.woa/wa/viewPodcast?id=285278297
I just love how you abbreviated iPod to ‘Pod….
Xbox4NappyRashs last blog post..Irony travels
I think my love for my iPod touch surpasses any previous Apple crush I’ve ever had, which is saying something. I’m absolutely amazed how well put together it is, and how much tech they’ve stuffed in.
I listened to Stephen Fry’s podcast while shopping at the local Chav-n-Save on the way home tonight. It was like being in a perfect little middle-class gadget nerd bubble. :-)
The Adam and Joe podcast is great, I loved the pirate radio break-ins they had this week, so well observed!
Off to get the new Ben Folds album. WHY WAS I NOT AWARE OF THIS???
OK the remote thing–that’s kind of cool.
So I am not technical in anyway, but I liked Ben Folds 5 when Mark and Lard used to play them and I saw Bare Naked Ladies at Glastonbury in 93 and they were wicked so I’m a bit cool, right?
Oh Dan, As much as I love you – you big hairy bear you! I don’t love you as much as my i Phone!
How could you not have i Gotchi on your list. What about labyrinth – that’s amazing. Cro Mag is good too. MyLite is invaluable – we used it to see us through a power cut the other night.
gails last blog post..Sad State of Britain
I only know Jerry Reed’s ‘Another puff’ which is brilliant by the way!
The remote sounds like a cool gadget I would definetely use it.
Kerry’s photoblog gave the solitaire app away…
Arjans last blog post..40K: various models
Avitable – You have a podcast? You should try advertising it more. maybe mention it on your site now and again.
Xbox – I’m just lazy that way. I dream of one day replacing every single letter with a ‘
Becky – It truly is a wonder of the world isn’t it. The Ben Folds album nearly passed me by too, I only heard about it on Whit’s blog on tuesday.
Ed – It is very cool, although in reality not that useful for us (although if you used your computer as your main media player it would be invaluable)
Jo – you are the very definition of cool.
Gail – the iGotchi holds no interest for me, I’ve got real live guinea pigs I can forget to feed. I also find I get a reasonable enough light off the browser to find my way to bed, so don’t need the MyLite. I’m going to look into the other two though.
Arjan – Another Puff is pretty good. Jerry Reed is great at injecting comedy into his songs.
Smartass.
So tell me again, which button is the caps lock on a Blackberry then ?
Garys last blog post..The reason why I will never be rich …
Thanks!! Wikipanion is amazing. I’m adding a bunch of others as well. Great suggestions.
Phils last blog post..Coke Porn
I gave up after music… still waiting for my copy of the new Ben Folds to arrive.
The rest of it – that’s what I have a computer for!
Rols last blog post..Taken By Surprise
I’ll help you, Phil, since Dan doesn’t seem to have a firm grasp on the App situation.
One word, Shazam. You’ll thank me later.
Also cool: Air Me for sending pictures straight to flickr, recorder for interviewing Victoria Secret models, and Lightsaber for no reason other than it’s a lightsaber. That’s how we App in the colonies.
Whits last blog post..Drunkside Chats with Anthony
Avitable – And then some
Gary – It’s the one marked Caps lock
Phil – No problem
Rol – There is a reason the luddite movement was strong in the Colne Valley.
Whit – Shazam won’t work on the touch as there is no microphone, nor will recorder. It’s pretty difficult to send photos to flickr when you don’t have an internal camera. But I think Lightsaber will work.
I think the ipod Touch will work with the microphone on the new apple ear-buds when they come out, but yeah those apps are mainly designed for iPhones.
Lightsabre does work with the iPod’s accellerometer, but I got bored of that app on my Nokia N95. :-)
As for photos, try holding down the power key briefly and then pressing the other button at the same time, then look in your photos folder, as I discovered by accident the other day. :-)
Okay, so it’s not a camera, but it does make a nice noise. ;-)
Great stuff Dan. I need to use this post as a reference. My favorite musical podcast is the KEXP “Music That Matters” podcast. It is weekly and highlights cool new music. If you haven’t already, check it out.
Jamess last blog post..A New Sheriff!
I like the new Ben Folds and the Regina Spektor song is good, though I can’t get past that it sounds like a terrible, stupid argument that my downstairs neighbors used to have all the time.
And The Bugle is great. John Oliver is about as funny as it gets.
Brandons last blog post..Two-Fer Tues….errr…Thursday
I just discovered “Simplify Media” and now her iTouch can stream our entire music collection (135GB) from my office computer to anywhere she has a wi-fi connection. Amazing.
Phils last blog post..Coke Porn
135 gb..that’s …crazy.
I thought I stocked up music sometimes..
Arjans last blog post..40K: various models
“135 gb..that’s …crazy”
No, it’s not crazy. It’s sick and obsessive, but not crazy.
Seriously, it’s the only bad habit I have left. Buying music. I really should stop, but I don’t know how. Is there a Musicaholics Anonymous group?
Phils last blog post..Coke Porn
I don’t have an iTouch or IPhone…yet, so this article didn’t benefit me much. I just want the credit for reading the entire article anyway!
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