In no particular order other than how they appear on my iPhone, here is my list of favorite websites that have been optimized for the iPhone:
Bank of America
One of the first banking websites that provided a mobile version of their website, but now has a very nice version of their website optimized for the iPhone. They also have an iPhone app that just loads the mobile website.
Gmail
Yes, you can use the built-in Mail app to access your Gmail inbox via POP or IMAP, but this version resembles how the full browser version behaves.
Google Calendar
Yes, you can be an über-geek and sync your Google Calendar with your iPhone Calendar app via Exchange and then use Google Sync blah blah blah....but this handy iPhone version of Google Calendar is a nice reference without having to clutter up your Calendar app.
Google Docs
There are apps that allow you to access your Google Docs documents but again, why bother when this elegant iPhone-optimized version will work just fine? Both spreadsheets and word processing documents and can be viewed and edited.
Gmail Tasks
iPhone task apps are about a dime a dozen. If you use Google Tasks, don't even bother with the apps.
Google Latitude
It's an interesting concept, but still trying to find a use for this. The iPhone-optimized webpage works very well with the pinch and zoom functionality works just like Maps app.
Nike+
Being a runner and a user of the Nike+ website, I was pleasantly pleased to find that Nike had built a nice and simple iPhone version of their Nike+ website. Given that the iPhone 3GS has the Nike+ receiver built-in to the phone, it makes perfect sense. What's missing is the ability to view run graphs. Outside of that, I think the Nike+ app that comes with the iPhone 3GS ought to allow you to upload your runs to Nike+ website without having to sync the phone to your desktop. It seems like a natural evolution.
AA.com
American Airlines' website has an iPhone version that allows you to view your registration, check-in, look up gates and times, access a flight status notification center to let you know about the status of your flight, book flights, and even access your AAdvantage account info.
Dropbox
Dropbox is a cloud-service that allows to sync your computer files or keep backups of them. It's great if you have a work computer and a home computer and you want to work from home. Dropbox will automatically sync files to its servers and to any computer you have Dropbox installed on.
Facebook
Sometimes the iPhone app doesn't behave quite right, and when you don't like the Mobile Facebook, the Facebook site for iPhone will do just fine in a pinch.
LinkedIn
The social and career networking site has a mobile version. An iPhone app is also available but the mobile version loads faster IMO.
Amazon
How else can you purchase your Kindle books on your iPhone Kindle reader, right from your iPhone?
Yahoo
Having gone through a couple of iterations, including a couple of iPhone apps, Yahoo finally got it right this time.
ESPN
ESPN for the iPhone is awesome. A very well-done skin for the iPhone that has all sorts of AJAX goodliness.
TSN
The Canadian version of ESPN has a very nice and clean iPhone-customized version of their website. It loads fast, and just like the full version of the site, it has a focus on hockey.
CBC.ca
The CBC has a nice iPhone version of their website, but it needs more news features on its homepage. Currently the homepage just shows a menu of news categories -- News, Sports, Entertainment, My Region, Program Guide.
F1-Live.com
For the F1 fan, this site has all the latest Formula 1 news and in a nice mobile version to boot.
Saturday, September 19, 2009
Google - Apple Bickering
So the functionality of the Google Voice app has now taken a back seat to bickering and a game of he-said-she-said.
He (Google) says that their Google Voice app was outright rejected with Phil Schiller, Apple Senior Vice President of Worldwide Marketing, personally told Alan Eustace, Google Senior Vice President of Engineering and Research, having a phone conversation to that effect.
She (Apple) says that the Google Voice app has not been rejected and they're still reviewing the matter.
At some point I think Apple will have to let the app, and other similar apps, into the App Store, probably with changes, like removing the dialer functionality. I think Google would be best served to releasing the iPhone-optimized version of the web-based Google Voice application to completely bypass Apple's application approval process.
I somewhat agree with Jeff Bertolucci's article, but the article's argument foundation is weak.
Google Voice is NOT VoIP. Google Voice users do not make calls over a data connection, but rather utilize the existing voice plan of the phone to make calls. This means, that you can't use Google Voice if you have a 3G data card with only a data plan. When dialing another number from Google Voice, the application actually dials the phone initiating the call, and then dials the number being dialed by the user. Google Voice acts as the proxy between the caller and callee. This is all done via the existing voice line, not over a data connection.
The only feature of Google Voice that MAY be VoIP is the ability for Google Voice users to listen to voicemails left on their Google Voice number.
VoIP, by definition, is using a data line to transmit voice signals, thereby bypassing a voice line. Clearly Google Voice in its current incarnation is not VoIP.
Ultimately, Apple holds all the cards and I really don't think the government has a place in determining what apps get in the App Store and which do not, but Apple does have a public image to think about, and picking a fight with Google when its Google Voice app is available on the Android and Blackberry platforms is something that Apple should think about. It's only a matter of time before the app ends up on the Palm Pre.
He (Google) says that their Google Voice app was outright rejected with Phil Schiller, Apple Senior Vice President of Worldwide Marketing, personally told Alan Eustace, Google Senior Vice President of Engineering and Research, having a phone conversation to that effect.
She (Apple) says that the Google Voice app has not been rejected and they're still reviewing the matter.
At some point I think Apple will have to let the app, and other similar apps, into the App Store, probably with changes, like removing the dialer functionality. I think Google would be best served to releasing the iPhone-optimized version of the web-based Google Voice application to completely bypass Apple's application approval process.
I somewhat agree with Jeff Bertolucci's article, but the article's argument foundation is weak.
Google Voice is NOT VoIP. Google Voice users do not make calls over a data connection, but rather utilize the existing voice plan of the phone to make calls. This means, that you can't use Google Voice if you have a 3G data card with only a data plan. When dialing another number from Google Voice, the application actually dials the phone initiating the call, and then dials the number being dialed by the user. Google Voice acts as the proxy between the caller and callee. This is all done via the existing voice line, not over a data connection.
The only feature of Google Voice that MAY be VoIP is the ability for Google Voice users to listen to voicemails left on their Google Voice number.
VoIP, by definition, is using a data line to transmit voice signals, thereby bypassing a voice line. Clearly Google Voice in its current incarnation is not VoIP.
Ultimately, Apple holds all the cards and I really don't think the government has a place in determining what apps get in the App Store and which do not, but Apple does have a public image to think about, and picking a fight with Google when its Google Voice app is available on the Android and Blackberry platforms is something that Apple should think about. It's only a matter of time before the app ends up on the Palm Pre.
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