Archive for the ‘Apps’ Category

First, the good news: technologically speaking, the Aha Mobile traffic app is at the front of the pack. It pairs the iPhone's built-in geolocation capabilities with data from INRIX, Yelp, SitOrSquat, and PhotoEnforced, making Aha your one-stop-shop for data on traffic, food, bathrooms, and speed cameras -- without having to deal with itty-bitty maps. Other features allow you to communicate with nearby drivers and post to Twitter and Facebook. Also, it's totally free.

The bad news? Aha works better in some cities than others, its geolocation tools occasionally go off-track, it's a memory hog, and it's somewhat unstable. But as long as Aha is...

Here at TCC, we cover a lot of applications for mobile devices, and at the risk of sounding like shills for Apple, we've stumbled across another one that could come in handy -- especially for mall mavens during the coming holiday season. The app is called "Car Finder", and it's designed to help you, well, find your car in a parking lot. After taking a photo of your vehicle, the app uses GPS and a digital compass to help you find your way back. We haven't given this one a test run yet, but at just $.99, chances are pretty good that'll happen -- as soon as we upgrade to the necessary 3GS handset, of course. [BoingBoing]

It's official: "There's an app for that" has become the most annoying catchphrase of 2009 (on par with 2001's "You are the weakest link"). And yet, we have to admit that there are beaucoup apps out there -- some of them quite good. For example, developers at Appirion UG have developed a program that turns the iPhone into a remote control for a specially rigged Dodge minivan. "The Spirit of Berlin", as the vehicle is known, may not be as flashy as the iPhone-controlled Rinspeed iChange we profiled back in February, but as the clip below demonstrates, it seems like way more fun:

[BoingBoing]