Category Archives: iphone

I’m addicted to the Grinchmas iPhone app

December 7, 2009iphone, New postsgame, grinchmas, iphone appAlicia

I’ve been playing Grinchmas a lot the last few days. I play while I’m putting Madelyn down for her nap, while she’s in the bathtub, and at other random times during the day. Granted, those times are short lived but still.. I turn to the Grinchmas app for entertainment.

Grinchmas iphone app I can choose to be a Mean Grinch or a Merry Grinch. I usually chose the Mean Grinch just because there isn’t as much strategy involved being Mean. The Mean Grinch tosses snow balls to Who houses (Whoville) during the night. There is something really satisfying about being a Mean Grinch.
The Merry Grinch gives colorful gifts to matching colored Who houses by way of throwing them (strange, but true) at the houses. The more gifts you toss at matching colored Who houses, the larger Grinch’s heart grows and the better I feel about myself knowing I changed the Whoville in such a short period of time. OK, that’s a little dramatic but Grinchmas is really fun so I know you’ll feel like you’ve saved the world or in the case that you are a Mean Grinch, you will know that you safely let out your aggression for the day.

Features two gameplay modes:

“Mean Grinch” – The Whos down in “Who-ville” are making too much Christmas NOISE, NOISE, NOISE! Splat each noisy Who house with snowballs to silence them. How long can you last before the noise overwhelms you?
“Merry Grinch” – The Grinch has had a change of heart and must deliver matching colored presents to the Who houses. How many presents can you deliver, to grow the Grinch’s heart bigger, before time runs out?

About the app:

Grinchmas is a fun, casual game of skill and accuracy. Assume the role of The Grinch perched on Mt. Crumpit. Swipe the screen to throw either snowballs or presents down to Who-ville, depending on whether you feel “mean” or “merry.” Accuracy and speed determine your score.

Additional features:

Beautiful 3D artwork inspired by Dr. Seuss, whimsical music and sound effects
Top 10 best scores are saved for each game mode
Suitable for all ages

Buy Grinchmas for $1.99 via iTunes here:

iBend™ and OccupyBaby, the perfect travel companions

October 23, 2009Age 3-5, iphoneibend, iphone app, occupybabyAlicia

I can’t stand it when gooey fingerprints get on my iPhone screen. Considering the iPhone is a short term babysitter for many moms, we’ve come to expect the fingerprints. However, I learned to expect otherwise after being introduced to iBend and OccubyBaby, two products that work together to provide moms with a few minutes of peace while eating, doing laundry, or whatever it is that we need to do.

The iBend is an ultra portable surprisingly stable stand for the iPhone and iPod touch. The stand allows your child to play a game like OccupyBaby or watch a fun movie on your iPhone without having to hold the iPhone. A mom’s dream! The iBend will slide right into your wallet and at a price of just 2 for $4.99, you can affordably stock up on iBends. Keep a few in your wallet and a few in your home.

OccupyBaby is an entertaining iPhone app for babies and toddlers. The auto-play option is excellent for young babies and for when you are on the go. You don’t have to fool with control buttons. For older kids (3+) the OccupyBaby iPhone app is an educational experience with word exploration, sounds, and various language settings. Madelyn loves OccupyBaby.
Here is a link to OccupyBaby in iTunes.

My iPhone 3G screen shattered last night!

September 8, 2009Gadgets, iphone, New postsapps, cell, iphoneAlicia

iPhone 3G shattered screen

I can’t say it wasn’t my fault. I was getting out the car, holding two books in my arm with my iPhone on top of the books. I think I was trying to hold the door open so Madelyn’s fingers wouldn’t get squished while she was trying to squeeze past Sebastian who was not in a hurry to get out of the car. Things were just a little chaotic. My iPhone slipped off the book and landed flat on the driveaway then bounced over to land on its back. Serious, major, HUGE bummer! I feel like an idiot for letting that happen.
Over the years my iPhone has been abused by the kids and myself (not on purpose) and I guess that I started to think it was invincible. NO, it’s not. Just the right fall, the right angle, and the right surface shattered my iPhone screen and not as if I didn’t already, but I realize how attached I am to it and how much I rely on my iPhone.
Every night when I put Madelyn to bed, I lay with her and read the news on my iPhone. I check my email on my iPhone when I’m out, I have several applications I use regularly such as Things, iNotify, and TwitterFon.

What am I going to do? Oh wait.. I also make and receive phone calls from my iPhone. Huh, I forgot it’s a phone. There really is no point to this post except to remind my readers that iPhones aren’t unbreakable and unfortunately, you can’t get insurance on an iPhone through AT&T (when I purchased mine that wasn’t an option).

Today I’m struggling with these options:

Apple will replace the screen at the Apple store for $199 (the cost of a new iPhone!?)
I found several online stores that sell replacement iPhone screens for $25-$60+ and extra for the tools required to replace the iPhone screen myself (Tim would do it).
Get a new iPhone
Borrow my Dad’s extra iPhone.. but I feel bad about that.

Have you ever had to replace your iPhone screen? What do you think I should do?

Book review: My New iPhone

August 20, 2009Books, iphone, New postsapps, book, iphone, youtubeAlicia

My New iPhone book review As my regular readers know, I love my iPhone. I love almost everything about it; the phone and the apps are awesome. The camera though, is not so great but that’s why I have a regular camera!

Whether you just bought an iPhone or you are thinking about buying one, My New iPhone is for you. The books explains every detail of the iPhone from working with the keyboard to voicemail to how to browse the built in YouTube feature for videos. You’re not just making calls with your iPhone are you? If so, shame on you!

This project-oriented book will have you using your iPhone like a pro in no time.
My advice is to buy the book, put it in your car and read it while you are waiting in the carpool/pick-up line at school. You can easily cover a few projects while waiting.

There are lots of pictures making My New iPhone an easy read, especially for those of us with ADHD who have a hard time reading for more than 5 minutes at a time… or for those of us who have kids for that matter.

Wallace Wang, author of the best-selling My New Mac, will show you, step-by-step, how to:

View weather predictions, traffic patterns, flight information, and stocks
Take notes, text message your friends, and browse the web
Customize your iPhone by rearranging icons and changing its wallpaper and sound effects
Find and install the best new applications and games
Browse iTunes, listen to music, and watch YouTube videos
Use Skype to call your family for free
Create your own ringtones and get free podcasts and audiobooks

Buy the book at Amazon.com here: My New iPhone: 52 Simple Projects to Get You Started

P.S. Read our iPhone reviews here.

Enjoy My New iPhone and why don’t you let me know what your favorite iPhone feature and/or iPhone app is while you’re here!

Kijiji iPhone app review + $25 iTunes giveaway!

August 12, 2009iphone, New postsapp, iphone, kijiji, localAlicia

My husband and I are on a ‘get rid of stuff‘ kick. We are selling tons of baby and kids stuff at a consignment sale here in Atlanta this weekend and let me tell you.. if I ever sign up to do this again (which I seriously doubt I will) I’m going to make sure I have lots of time, ~~xanax~~, and sleep the week of the sale. What a royal pain in the butt this week has been, but the hopefully the payoff will be worth it. You may have noticed that I’ve written fewer reviews and posts in the last 5 or so days.. blame it on the consignment sale!

logoSmall1 What does this have to do with Kijiji you ask? I was recently introduced to Kijiji.com which is an online community where members can connect with one another to exchange goods, ideas, and services and is the perfect place for a mom like me to sell used kids stuff without having to enter each item into an online inventory system, print card stock tags, and then secure the tag onto the item with packing tape… sorry.. I went off on a rant again.

The FREE Kijiji iPhone app allows Kijiji users to search local classified ads, watch listings, reply to listings and post items with just a few simple taps while on the go. The Kijiji iPhone app makes it easy to buy or sell everything from clothes to cribs, find a babysitter, adopt a pet, rent an house and do so much more, right from your iPhone.
What a great way to occupy yourself while waiting in the pick up line at school! Find stuff to buy, locally, and cheap.. just because it’s a little ‘used’. Just don’t get to the point where you need a Kijiji intervention though.. it could happen!

Learn more about the Kijiji iPhone app here.

We are giving a lucky reader a $25 iTunes giftcard!

We’ll give you one entry for each question you answer. Tell me your answers in the comments box below.