MobileViews Blog

In this podcast, Jon Westfall and I discuss:

1. The new Office app now generally available for Android and iOS
2. WHEN SPEAKERS ARE ALL EARS: Understanding when smart speakers mistakenly record conversations
3. Jon’s Tip of the Week – leverage fill-in-the-blank snippet extension when using a product like TextExpander

Available via Google Music Podcasts and Apple iTunes.

In this podcast, Jon Westfall and I discuss:

1. Mobile World Congress 2020 cancelled
2. Apple March announcement rumors circulating
3. Battery Grapher for Watch – $1.99
4. Reuters Fact Check site
5. Malwarebytes: Macs Outpaced PCs in Number of Malware Threats Detected Per Endpoint in 2019, But Most Are Adware
6. Jon is exploring Markdown seriously for the first time. And utilizing Drafts app for the first time.

Available via Google Music Podcasts and Apple iTunes.

In this podcast Jon Westfall and I discuss:

1. The Verge: All the ways China’s coronavirus outbreak is affecting tech
2. Google Maps is turning 15! Celebrate with a new look and features
   You may have noticed the Google Maps icon on your iPhone changed. That’s not the only thing that changed.
3. Siri Shortcuts for Google Apps
4. Trying to understand NoteShelf with Jon’s help
5. Jon’s super secret project spawns a question: What technology do you use for “other than intended” purposes?

Available via Google Music Podcasts and Apple iTunes.

Jon Westfall and I reflect and discuss the most important and favorite iPad apps since the tablet’s introduction in 2010.

1. Former Windows chief reveals Microsoft’s reaction to the iPad
2. The iPad Turns 10: A Look Back at Its First Decade
3. Millennials stand out for their technology use, but older generations also embrace digital life
   Gen X, Millennials, and Boomers all are at 50%+ tablet ownership

   ” Unlike with smartphones and social media, tablet ownership is now comparable across most generations. Today, 55% of Gen Xers, 53% of Millennials and 52% of Boomers say they own tablets.”

4. Most important/influential iPad apps in the past decade
   Safari for iPad browser – near desktop-like experience
   Garageband for iPad
   Flipboard (not as popular now, but still available)
   Microsoft Office 365 – grudgingly accepted subscriptions by this point)
   Gmail for iPad
   Comixology (now owned by Amazon)
   Amazon Kindle app
   Netflix (changed the way Todd thinks about service subscriptions)
   Evernote, OneNote, Noteability, and other note taking apps
   Flixster
   Amazon & other shopping apps
   LumaVision (Ricky Li’s recommendation) – I haven’t used it but it gets mentioned in other lists
5. App types that seemed like a good idea but weren’t
   Magazine apps – Time Magazine / Zinio
   “second screen” dedicated apps – Avatar, Bambi, etc.
   Apple iBooks & iBooks Creator (Jon disagrees, iBooks isn’t great, but it’s solid)
   Recipe apps – true for all kinds of computers (Jon disagrees, recipes need to be integrated into something, like AnyList)
6. Todd
   Comixology
   Procreate
   Civilization Revolution (no longer compatible)
   Plants vs. Zombies HD
   Google Keep
7. Jon
   Noteshelf & iAnnotate – let me eliminate paper.
   Classic games (GTA 3, GTA Vice City)
   Ticket to Ride / Carcassone / Mini Metro / Plague Inc. / Rebel Inc.
   Microsoft Office & Google Drive apps
   Scrivener and apps that allow me to do niche desktop things (Working Copy for Git repos, CryptoDisks for opening Truecrypt/veracrypt containers, SSH Tunnel, and Screens)

Available via Google Music Podcasts and Apple iTunes.

In this podcast, Jon Westfall and I discuss:

1. WiFi router adventure
2. Update on USB-C charging the Samsung Chromebook Plus
   Recently received Anker USB-C up with PD port can charge the device
3. Google releases 3 new experimental apps to help cut down your phone usage
   Envelope – yuck – for 3a only
   Activity Bubbles
   Screen Stopwatch
4. Microsoft POC Office 365 Network Onboarding tool
   Requires Edge browser for advanced tests
5. After it was announced that the three EA Tetris mobile games Tetris 2011, Tetris Blitz, and Tetris Premium will stop working on April 21, 2020, N3TWORK and The Tetris Company announced -and released- an all new Tetris title on both the App Store and on Google Play
6. Moleskine Journey” for iOS. iPad app of the year? – NO! Confused it with Moleskine FLow… Confusing pricing plans. $40? Or $30 “welcome” plan. And, what is the $20 “annual flash”?
   Also, no web interface. Apple-only
7. Jon Update: In MobileViews 296 I mentioned a lack options other than Quicken for managing your money on the desktop. Been using Banktivity since then and rather impressed at it’s current version. Still a bit pricey (Approx $50 a year for online subscription, plus 1-time fees for the applications), but flexible and useful. Only drawback? Mac/iOS only.
8. Jon published 2 new blog posts this week…

Available via Google Music Podcasts and Apple iTunes.

Jon Westfall and I are joined by guest panelists Frank McPherson and Chris Spera. In this podcast, we discuss:

1. End of Windows 7
2. Foldable displays
3. USB-C and Lightning cables going away someday
4. Chuwi MiniBook Mobile Workstation
5. Why use Microsoft OneNote?

Available via Google Music Podcasts and Apple iTunes.