Justin Wright » Technology

My Life Without A Smartphone

Justin Wright — Fri, 29 Jan 2010 20:09:17 +0000

Just over three months ago, I wrote about why I decided to ditch my iPhone. As promised, I wanted to do a followup and let you know how it has been now that I have gone 90 days without owning a smartphone of any kind.

Below are the things I have experienced more and less of as a result of living without a smartphone:

More Freedom

Man does the feeling of freedom sure feel good. That’s why I chose to use the picture above for this post. Now that I do not carry a smartphone with me, I have come to realize is that it is much easier to live in the moment. I feel free when I leave the house because I am actually leaving my computer behind.

Prior to ditching my iPhone, leaving the house just meant switching from using my MacBook to my phone. I never really got anytime away from it all. It felt like the internet was always there, whether it was on the screen in front of me or in my pocket. Talk about information overload.

I spend a good amount of time on my computer at home, so I do not miss surfing the web when I am not here anymore. It feels amazing to not have to worry about anything other than what I am doing at any given moment.

It reminds me of what life was like when I was younger and had nothing to worry about except what I was doing at any certain moment. If I wanted to go outside and ride my bike, I did. I didn’t ride my bike while talking on my phone and blasting out emails. I just focused on the bike ride and my surroundings. I actually took the time to notice things like grass, animals, and trees.

More Adventure

For the most part, the only thing I actually missed was the GPS and Google Maps features of the iPhone. I used to use it on a daily basis to find stores, restaurants, and other destinations I needed to find. It was especially useful when traveling around because I could just type in where we were going and figure it out as we drove.

Instead, I have had to go back to using a paper map (yes, they still make them). I must say, it took a lot of getting used to since paper maps are a tad less interactive. You cannot ask a map where you are at any given point in your trip, nor can you ask it for directions and get a nice step-by-step guide to follow.

Luckily I have realized that I enjoy getting lost from time to time. A few times I have ended up going somewhere completely different than planned. This is especially true for things like restaurants. If I can’t find it, instead of looking it up I will just give somewhere else a try. It feels good to do things on whim instead of always doing things we plan in advance.

I think it makes life a little more interesting since it isn’t so predictable. It makes going places more of a challenge and adventure. I like it.

Less Distractions

When it comes to life without a smartphone, I must say there are far less distractions. I can still remember the days when I would sit down at a restaurant with my girlfriend and occasionally check my email, Twitter, and Facebook to see what was happening out there in the land of the internet. Talk about distractions!

Not a day goes by where I do not see someone walking down the sidewalk texting (or surfing the web) on their phone, only to miss walking into someone by a few inches because they are not paying attention to where they are going.

Is this really the way life should be? Do we really need to be so on top of things that we need to constantly be distracted from what is actually happening around us? I sure don’t think so.

Less Expenses

As I mentioned in my last post, I am saving roughly $80/month by not having an iPhone. I did in fact buy a Tracfone, but I only use it for emergencies and other situations where I need to talk to someone outside the house. I haven’t even used $20 worth of minutes in the last 90 days nor do I plan on using the rest of them anytime soon.

I must say, it feels good to have one less monthly bill coming out of my bank account. While it might not be a ton of money, it is $80 less a month I have to worry about.

Less Worries

I have also noticed a lot less worries in my life. I no longer worry about going over my minutes, nor do I worry about any issues with my service provider.

Best of all, I no longer worry about having a $300+ piece of technology in my pocket at all times. It is quite the relief to not have to worry about keeping my phone safe. The nice thing about the Tracfone is I can easily replace it for about 30 bucks if I were to break it or lose it.

I do realize that smartphones are very useful for certain people in certain situations. That’s why I don’t anticipate everyone ditching them anytime soon. However, it is worth thinking about a life without one.

After trying it for 90 days, I can honestly say it’s not so bad after all. Who wouldn’t prefer a life with more freedom and adventures and less distractions, expenses, and worries? I know I sure do.

Photo Credit: Josef Grunig

MacJournal Review

Justin Wright — Tue, 26 Jan 2010 19:24:18 +0000

Over the past few months, I have been using MacJournal on a daily basis. If you missed it, I specifically mentioned the application in my post The Art of Journal Writing.

I decided that I love this application so much that I wanted to do a complete review of it and give you a few reasons as to why I continue to use it.

By no means is this a sponsored review, I simply like the product and enjoy sharing tools that I personally find useful.

So here is an even closer look at what MacJournal is capable of and why I highly recommend giving it a shot if you are a Mac user.

It Is Simple

Let me start by saying that this program has plenty of features, yet it still remains simple to use. I have never been a fan of applications that are far more powerful than I need. The more bells and whistles an application has, the more clutter I have to fight through to actually do what I want with it.

The way MacJournal works is very similar to how an email client works. It reminds me of Apple Mail in my ways.

As you can see in the screenshot below, it has a left sidebar that lists off your journals, along with the main body area where you can see your entries:

As soon as you click on a journal, the application will automatically show you the entries for that specific journal. It really works the same way as a folder system within your inbox. The big plus is that I do not have to be connected to the internet to use it, nor do I have to email myself whenever I want to add something.

It Is Effective

Not only is MacJournal simple, but it is also highly effective. I use it for a few different things and have not had a single problem with the application.

First off, I use it as a daily journal to keep track of events, workouts, dreams, spending, and my life. It works so much better than any other journal software that I have used. Plus I really like the idea of not having to use the web because I would rather keep the file on my computer. It may be safer on the web in terms of not losing the data, but that’s what Time Machine is for.

Secondly, I use it as a to do list manager where I can keep track of everything I am working on. What is really nice is the fact that I can link to various websites directly from an entry. This makes it really easy to track my projects since I can always find what I am looking for, whether it be a clients website or a useful article that I need to finish something.

Note taking is another thing I really like this application for. I used to use a separate program for note taking, but I have found that having everything in one central location is far more easier. Whenever I need to jot something down, I simply click on the note journal and fire up a new entry. It automatically puts the time and date of the entry as well which makes it super easy to track.

It Supports Multiple Journals

As I mentioned above, I use this application for multiple purposes. None of that would be possible without the support for multiple journals. As far as I know, there is no limit as to how many journals you can have within MacJournal.

Besides having multiple journal support, it also has a hierarchy system which allows you to place journals inside other journals. Sound confusing? It’s actually really simple. Here is a quick look at my journals after I expanded each of them:

As you can see, it really does work just like email. Whenever you hit the new entry button, it will automatically place it in the journal you have selected. If for some reason it is not the correct journal, all you have to do is drag and drop the entry into the journal would like it to be in.

It Has Built In Security

You may have noticed in the screenshot above that a few of the journals have a small lock next to the name. That’s because MacJournal has some built in security options that make securing your data a piece of cake. If you want a certain folder to be protected, all you have to is create a password for it.

From that point on, it will not allow anyone to see the contents of that journal until is has been unlocked. This works really well if you have any private information such as a personal diary.

It Supports Multimedia

Last but not least, I really like MacJournal because it has multimedia support built right into it. I have been using this feature a lot lately to integrate both audio and video into my entries. It’s especially useful if you are lazy and do not feeling like typing something up.

Below is a quick screenshot of the media interface found in MacJournal:

While it may not have a ton of options, I do like the fact that it is very simple to use. I like being able to click the record button and start recording audio or video in a matter of seconds. Once I am finished, it will automatically attach the audio or video clip to the specific journal entry.

You can also insert the video directly into the entry, which allows you to see the video embedded right along side any text you have added.

So there you have it, an in depth look at MacJournal. If you are interested in learning even more about it, check out the MacJournal website.

Do you use any type of journal software?

7 Mac Apps for Productivity

Justin Wright — Fri, 04 Dec 2009 17:26:30 +0000

If you’re like me, you love to keep things simple and productive. This is especially true for computer related tasks and chores. If you happen to use a Mac, check out the following applications that I use on a daily basis to keep myself productive:

1Password

Have a ton of passwords? 1Password is a lifesaver when it comes to storing your personal information. Not only can you store passwords, but you can also add personal information, credit cards, and a whole mess of other stuff.

My favorite thing of all is the ability to “Go & Fill Login,” which will take you to a certain website such as your bank and automatically log you in. It’s amazing how much time you save by not having to do all the steps manually.

There is a free trial available if you would like to test it out. Once your trial ends, it’s $39.95 to purchase a 1Password license (easily worth it).

MacJournal

I’m a big fan of keeping a journal. I actually have a few of them ranging from ideas to personal thoughts. Keeping a journal is so useful that I plan on writing a separate post about it in the near future.

I originally used notebooks, but quickly decided it was a pain to have more than one notebook lying around. Plus it can add up since you need to purchase new ones every time you fill them (it also saves trees).

MacJournal makes it super easy to keep a journal on your computer. You can create as many journals as you want and manage them just like an online blog. You can even embed photos, videos, and audio clips in your entries.

Its got some built-in security that makes protecting it rather simple. You can also set it up to automatically create backups. That way you’ll never lose your journal.

Learn more about MacJournal here.

Notational Velocity

Just like keeping a journal, note taking is a huge step in becoming more productive. I keep tons of notes everyday and constantly go back and look them over. But who wants to keep using paper every time you want to jot an idea down?

Notation Velocity makes it super easy to add notes, as well as search existing notes. It’s as simple to use as a text editor, but you do not have to worry about having tons of files scattered all over your desktop. It keeps them all in one place that’s easy to navigate.

Did I mention it’s free? You can download it here.

PandoraBoy

I still remember back in high school when we all used to brag about how many songs we have. We took pride in our libraries of music and used them constantly. However, it seems like everyday that passes I use my music library a little less. Why? Because I can easily listen to all of my favorite music via online streaming websites.

Of all the services available, Pandora is by far my favorite. It allows you to create stations that play music based on artists and songs you like. Normally, you have to keep the player open in your browser, which was the only pain with using it. I would constantly close the tab on accident and have to restart my player.

This is why I consider PandoraBoy a good application for productivity. It allows you to play Pandora music from a desktop application. That way you can leave it playing all day and not have to worry about having a browser open. If you happen to have an Airport Express (or Extreme), you can even use AirFoil to play the music wirelessly through your home stereo. I currently use this setup and think it’s amazing.

You can get PandoraBoy here.

Quicksilver

I’ve always been a heavy mouse user and never saw the need for keyboard shortcuts. However, I made myself give them a shot and could not believe how much easier they are. I used to use the dock (or my applications folder) to launch applications on my Mac, which took up more time than it needed to.

Using Quicksilver, I can just hit a shortcut and start typing the name of an application. Once it finds it I just hit enter and it launches it right away. It even learns which applications you use the most often so you barely have to type anything for it to know what you’re looking for. Now I barely use the dock at all.

You can get Quicksilver here.

Time Out

The name of this application says it all. It forces you to take time outs from your computer so you don’t sit there all day without getting up. It slowly fades in a gray screen and then counts down your break and automatically goes away once it’s complete.

You can set the breaks for any length you choose and can also control how often they come up. It’s a good reminder of how much time we sit at our computers, especially if you have it setup to make you break once an hour.

You can download it for free here.

Typinator

This application is simply amazing. I have to thank Adam Pieniazek for bringing this one to my attention. What it does is allows you to create easy to use shortcuts for words and phrases you use often.

For example, you can set it up so that whenever you type “jsd,” it will automatically turn it into joseph@somedomain.com. If you fill in a lot of forms, this can easily save you a ton of time.

You can even type up paragraphs and assign shortcuts to them. This comes in really handy if you send out a lot of emails with similar structures.

You can test it out for free by going here.

Did I Miss An App?

If you know of any other Mac applications that can increase your productivity (and simplify your life), feel free to share them below.

PS. In regards to full-disclosure, I must admit that I will in fact not make a dime off of any of the recommendations above. I just love using these apps…

6 Reasons Why I Ditched My iPhone

Justin Wright — Wed, 28 Oct 2009 20:25:48 +0000

I’ve been an iPhone user since it first came out a few years back. I even upgraded to the 3G version since I wanted to get some faster internet. But guess what? As of this week, I am officially iPhone free! I just sold my used iPhone on Craigslist for $250 and feel great about it.

Over the past year, I’ve been contemplating on and off whether or not I needed a cellphone. A few times I got close to pulling the plug but then changed my mind. I really don’t like the idea of constantly having a phone on me. Heck, I even saw two people run into each other on the sidewalk yesterday because they were both walking and texting. Have we really gotten this bad?

1. I Have A Land Line

Can you believe it? It’s 2009 and the main reason I ditched my iPhone is because I have a land line. I spend the majority of my time talking on the phone at home, especially when it comes to conference calls. Best of all, I only pay for the limited service which comes in around 8 bucks a month.

Now that I use Google voice, I can still dial out to anywhere in the US without paying long distance fees. Best of all, when people call my Google voice number it automatically rings on my land line. I also installed Gizmo5 on my laptop, which allows me to have my phone up on my desktop when I’m at the coffee shop.

2. I Didn’t Use It Enough

This goes along with having a land line. Over the past few months, I’ve been monitoring my iPhone usage on the AT&T website. For the month of September, I used a whopping 51 out of 450 anytime minutes. And the only reason I used that many minutes is because I was lazy and didn’t take the time to call the person using Google voice.

I also used 51 of my 1,500 text messages. Funny thing is, almost all of them took place sitting at my desk. I’ve now got into the habit of using Google voice for my texting and I’ve actually grown to like it a lot more than typical texting.

3. I Wasn’t Much Of An Application User

It’s true that there are tons of cool applications available for the iPhone. However, of the 85,000 or so available I had about 6 installed on my phone. I really wasn’t a fun of the stupid applications you always see on the commercials. Sure it’s nice to be able to look up a restaurant and see it’s rating. But it’s even better when you take a walk and randomly pick a place to eat.

The same goes for directions. I’ve decided it’s time to get back into the habit of using a paper map to find directions to where I’m going. It sure beats relying on your phone, only to have the battery die before you found your destination.

3. I Was Sick Of The Monthly Bills

Even if you go with the cheapest iPhone plan available, it’s still going to come in over 70 bucks a month. That does include limited data, but I already pay for internet in the form of DSL. The rest of the bill goes to the voice plan that I hardly ever used.

I’ve gotten much more efficient when it comes to email that I no longer feel the need to constantly be able to check it. I actually feel more relieved when I leave the house now because it actually means I get a break from the web.

4. I Bought A Tracfone

You read the right. I’ve upgraded from an iPhone to a Tracfone. Look how badass my new Motorola phone is. Not only is it lighter than my old iPhone, but it’s smaller. It even traveled forward in time from 1997. Best of all, it even has the one application I constantly used on my iPhone: a calculator.

I did a ton of research before canceling my iPhone plan because I wanted to keep the phone number just in case people still call it. So I knew that getting a prepaid cell phone was my best option. When I went to the store I wasn’t sure which phone I was going to get but I ended up with the Tracfone. The main reason being that I only need to add 20 bucks every three months to keep the phone active. That comes out at roughly $6.67 a month for my cell phone.

I also opted for one of the phones that doubles your minutes for life. Even better, I also managed to find a promo code online for some extra minutes and an extra month worth of service. I now have over 280 minutes and don’t have to add any until April of next year. Those minutes will easily cover the call and text messages I make while not at home. It will mainly be used for emergencies or when I really need to get in touch with someone.

Porting my number was really simple. I just went on to Tracfone’s website and started the port process. They automatically canceled my AT&T account once the port came over to this phone.

5. I Hated The Service

It’s no secret that AT&T has some issues when it comes to their services. I would constantly get calls that would drop, even when standing in downtown Austin. My internet was also hit or miss in terms of speed. What I disliked even more was using the account manager to access my account. Funny thing is, here’s what I saw when I tried to login just before cancelling my account:

It wasn’t the only time I’ve had issues trying to access my account. It sure feels good knowing I no longer have a contract with them and I don’t have to log in anytime soon to manage my account. Now I just need to move so I can get cable internet instead of the DSL…

6. Google Voice

I’ve already mentioned Google voice a handful of times in this post. It was the one thing that finally made it possible for me to say screw the cell phone. Prior to Google voice, I used Skype but it still lacked some features that I couldn’t do without.

Now that I can easily make calls, forward them to my various phones, and send free SMS messages, I no longer have any issues.

It was awesome when I took a trip home to Wisconsin and simple changed my Google voice settings to forward to my parents land line. It’s amazing how easy it is to bring your phone number with you where ever you go. Plus it made having a land line feasible again, since you can bring the number with you when you are not at home.

We’ll See How It Goes

I plan on doing a followup post a month or two down the road. I’ll summarize how the transition went from an iPhone to a prepaid cell phone/land line combo. I really thing it is going to go just fine without any problems but we will see.

Stream TV From A Media Center PC

Justin Wright — Mon, 24 Aug 2009 17:58:19 +0000

Over the last few days, I’ve been trying to stream TV from a Media Center PC I have. My first thought was to buy a Slingbox, but I’d rather not spend the $200+ to get the box and all the equipment needed to get it up and running.

My second thought was doing a remote desktop connection to that machine from my MacBook. This worked great (after reformatting the computer and all that good stuff), but the problem is Windows does not let you stream video via remote desktop connection. Damn it!

The Workaround

After doing some research, I managed to come across WebGuide. It’s an awesome tool that allows you to control your Media Center PC via the web. Plus you can stream live TV and watch recorded shows. Perfect!

Best of all, it’s completely free of charge. The hardest part is getting it setup and working on your computer. Here’s a breakdown of what I did to get it up and running:

1. Install WebGuide on the Media Center PC

The first step is downloading the WebGuide software on the Media Center PC. This is what configures everything to work via the web. It’s a pretty simple install and there are not many things you have to choose when going through the installation.

2. Configure WebGuide

The next step after the install is configuring the WebGuide software. This is where you have to setup users, configure the ports to use, along with a bunch of other stuff. Make sure to create a user otherwise it will not allow you save any of your settings.

They do have some good instructions on the WebGuide website that will help you will all of this stuff. You can also check out the forum if you get stuck along the way.

3. Configure Your Router

One of the most important steps in getting this software to work is properly forwarding the correct ports in your router. Most routers allow you to access the setup screen via entering the IP address in a browser connected to the router. An example would be something like this:

http://192.168.0.1/

Once you are logged in to the router, you should have an option somewhere to configure/forward ports. Here is what the router I was working with looked like:

By default, you need to forward both 2372 and 2373 to the machine you will be streaming from. If you forget to do this, it WILL NOT work no matter what you try. I literally tried everything before remembering to do this.

4. Connect To The Computer Via the Web

Once the router is setup, you should now be able to access your Media Center remotely from anywhere in the world. However, you will need to know the IP address of your router in order to make the connection. Keep in mind that this is not the same IP address as the one the router is giving your PC.

A simple way to find your IP addres is to go to this website: http://whatismyip.com/

Once you have the IP address, you can then type it into your web browser in this format:

http://XX.XX.XX.XX:2372/

If you changed the default port to something other than 2372, you will need to change it in the address to match otherwise it will not work.

At this point, you should see the login screen which looks like this:

Simply enter a username and password that you created in step two to get started.

5. Start Using WebGuide!

If you were able to log in successfully, you can now start managing your Media Center via the web. The interface is awesome looking and does a good job of mimicking the real Media Center display. The guide is super easy to use and looks like this:

Just a word of caution when trying to steam Live TV. I have not been able to get it to work on my Mac since it does use Windows Media Player to play everything. I have it installed on my Mac but it still doesn’t want to work.

I ended up using Parallels to access it and it works fine when I set it to “Open Directly in Media Player.” It pops up in a little window and looks like this:

As you can see, I’m streaming Home Improvement. Sweetness!

So Far, So Good

I’ve only been using it for a day but it’s working good so far. The quality is not the greatest but I was expecting that when I set it up. If you have a very high speed internet connection on both ends, you will most likely get great results. I have DSL on both ends and am stuck using the medium option which sort of resembles a YouTube video.

I might still save up for the SlingBox just because it will provide better quality video, but this will work in the mean time. I highly recommend trying it out if you have a Media Center PC with a TV tuner in it.

Woopra: Analytics On Steroids

Justin Wright — Tue, 30 Jun 2009 16:04:55 +0000

One of the things I took away from WordCamp Dallas/Fort Worth was a Woopra account. Prior to the event, I had never heard of the analytics service. However, I am now fascinated by it and can’t stop playing around with it.

What Makes Woopra Any Different Than Google Analytics?

The answer is real-time stats. I can literally see who is on my website anytime I feel like it. I can also see what page they are viewing, where they originally came from, and all the brower/operating system stats I could want.

If that isn’t enough, I can even send a chat request to anyone currently visiting my site and have a real IM style conversation. It’s amazing!

It sure beats looking at delayed stats…

The Interface

Another thing I really like about Woopra is the interface. They offer a desktop application for PC and Mac which allows you to monitor your stats right on your computer. I would consider it the TweetDeck of analytics software.

Check it out:

As you can see, I wasn’t kidding about calling it a TweetDeck version of stats. It actually looks similiar in a few ways. You can browse through all different stats, such as live visitors and referring URLs. You can also look at a map and see where your current visitors are from.

Overall, the interface is really cool and pretty simple to learn.

What About Regular Website Stats?

Just like Google Anaytics, Woopra will also show me regular stats like visitors, unique visitors, and where they are coming from on a map. However, I do not like this part of Woopra and actually prefer Google Analytics.

It just seems easier to monitor long-term stats using Google Analytics, plus all my data is already in there. Plus Woopra is still in beta so I would not trust it as your only source of statistics. I currently have my sites setup with both and have not seen any downsides or slowdown from it.

Installation

Installing Woopra is a breeze. Just like Google Analytics, you simple paste a line of code right above your closing body tag. That’s it. You can then view your stats on Woopra’s website or download the desktop application (which I prefer).

The only downside is since they are in beta, they require that your site be approved before you can start using it. So hurry up and submit your sites so you can start using the software.

Use It For Real-Time Tracking

Overall, I would say this is a great complement to Google Analytics. The real-time stats are amazing, if not a tad geeky. I find myself stairing at them getting excited when I have a few people on my blog at one time. However, it isn’t a full on replacment for your other analytics programs so I would plan on using more than one.

I recommend testing this out and playing around with it. It’s a great way to see how many people are on your blog at any given time.

Get a free acount today at Woopra.com.

Dear Time Warner

Justin Wright — Tue, 09 Jun 2009 21:21:33 +0000

My internet is sick and needs help badly…

My Story

About three weeks ago, I signed up for your Time Warner Road Runner service. I then scheduled the first installation appointment I could so I could get my internet running as quickly as possible.

Luckily, that all went pretty smoothly. However, it’s only been a week and a half and today I already am experiencing my first outage. At 10 AM this morning, my internet bombed out and would no longer connect.

So instead of spending my day as usual catching up on work emails, writing posts, and all that good stuff; I ended up having to tether my phone so I could figure out which number to call for your support.

First, I tried using your online chat support. However, all that did was waste 20 minutes of my time and gave me a phone number to call.

The Long Road Ahead

Once I called your support number, I was asked to press 1 for internet service. I kindly did this and then entered my phone number so it could pull up my account information. From there, I was put on hold for about 10 minutes.

Once I got through to someone, the first thing they told me is “I’ll have to forward your call to the internet department.” Isn’t that why I had to press 1 in the beginning?

Once I was forwarded to the next person, I was asked for my phone number. Once again, more information I already provided in the beginning.

After following through the normal reboot instructions, I was told a technician would need to be sent to my apartment. Unfortunately, the first available slot was Thursday afternoon. That’s over two days from now…

So Now What?

What am I supposed to do until then? I thought I was paying you for monthly internet service that is constantly connected? My girlfriend and I work from home so it’s not like we can just sit around and twiddle our thumbs why we wait for you to fix a service WE’RE PAYING you for.

Sure, you offered me a credit. But what I want is some good ol’ internet service.

If this already happened in the first two weeks, I can’t imagine what to expect over the next few months. I’m going to have to head out Californee way if I continue to get service like this.

So please, give me some of that internet…

An Exercise App For The iPhone

Justin Wright — Thu, 07 May 2009 08:13:43 +0000

Lately I’ve been spending a lot more time working out. Mainly because I love being in shape and it’s free if you do it outside. So I decided that I am going to start training for a triathlon that is coming up in September (hopefully I stick to it). So I started doing some investigating trying to find a decent pedometer or heart rate monitor for a low price but found that they are all fairly expensive.

But then I started thinking…there has to be something for the iPhone that can do the same thing. Luckily, there is!

Introducing Fitnio

Fitnio is a FREE application that you can download from the application store for your iPhone. What it does is allows you to track your runs, bike rides, and walks online and get a bunch of information about them. It uses the built in GPS to track where you are, how fast you are moving, and where you have gone on the map.

It really is an amazing application and I was so excited to try it out that I went for a run today even though it was 102 degrees outside. Here is a quick review of the program and what it all does.

On The iPhone

The interface on the iPhone is very basic. But don’t let that fool you into thinking the application doesn’t do that much. As you can see in the image (above), the application displays a few different things. Not only does it tell you how long you have been running, but it also shows more details such as:

MPH – Displayed the speed you are moving at
Distance – Displays your total distance
Calories Burned- Estimates the calories burned based on your BMI
Emergency – Allows you to call a certain number that is set in the settings menu
Cool Down – Starts the cool down timer so you can end your workout

The calories burned feature uses your height and weight to estimate and it seems to be pretty accurate. If anything, it at least gives you a general idea of how many calories you burned.

The only downside to this application is that you have to keep the phone unlocked the whole time otherwise the GPS will be disabled. Luckily, the application has a fake locked screen that disables the screen so it still makes it easy to keep in your pocket or case. I just disabled the auto-lock feature in the iPhone settings menu and did not have any problems.

On The Web

This is where the program really shines. The iPhone automatically syncs your workouts with their website so as soon as you sign in at Fitnio.com, it will automatically display this screen that shows you all of your workouts in an easy to use menu:

It even allows you to set daily, weekly, and monthly goals and will show you how much further you need to go to hit that mark. It also shows the total distance and the total ascent of your workout. When I first signed in and saw this screen, I figured this was all of the information it recorded.

However, I then noticed that you can click on an individual workout and get even more information that blew me away. Here is what the advanced view looks like for a workout:

This is where I was amazed at what this application does. Besides showing the details from the first screen, it also shows you a graph that displays your elevation and speed for the entire workout. And if that isn’t enough, it also maps the entire workout on Google maps so you can see where you went.

If you look at the graph, you can easily see that it was almost dead on accurate. I ran to a park near my apartment and then turned around. From there I did a large loop around the block. Very very cool!

An Awesome Application

Overall, this is a kickass application that is completely free to use. If you have an iPhone, I highly recommend trying it out and see how it works in your area. I am interested to see if the map function is accurate regardless of where you are.

Tools For The Digital Nomad

Justin Wright — Mon, 23 Mar 2009 09:15:02 +0000

Becoming a digital nomad took a lot of time, research, and planning to get right. There are so many tools, software packages, and gadgets available that it can be overwhelming to find the best ones.

I often get emails about what software I recommend for various things like invoicing, accounting, and so on. I usually reply as soon as I can and send people responses but lately I have been swamped with projects.

So instead, I have decided to make it easier for everyone. Below, I have listed all of the tools and resources I currently use to manage my work, life, and data on the road. Everything from the software I use to the gadgets I take along on my trips are included in the list.

That way you can see exactly what I use for the various things I do. I’d also love to hear some suggestions from others as I am always looking to add some things to my toolbox.

Note – If I wrote a post about it, the link will point to it so you can read more about it.

Software & Websites

Here is a breakdown of all the software and websites I currently use to make my life easier.

Accounting and Finance:

Billings: Awesome Invoicing Software For Mac
Outright: An Online Accounting Solution
PayPal: Send And Receive Money From Anywhere

Communication:

AIM: Free Instant Messaging Software
Aweber: Great Auto-Responder And Newsletter Service
Gmail: Web Mail And Chat Application
Skype: Make Phone Calls Over The Net
TweetDeck: Versatile Desktop Application For Twitter

Gig Searching

Craigslist: Click Here To Search It Like A Madman
Elance: One Stop Shop For Freelance Gigs

Mobile Internet:

iStumbler: Simple Application To Find WiFi Networks On A Mac
PDANet: Application To Tether Your iPhone (Jailbreak Required)

Online Data Storage:

Dropbox: Easy To Use Online Data Storage

Podcasting:

Audacity: Free And Powerful Sound Editing Software

Photo Editing/Graphic Design

Adobe Photoshop CS2: It’s Old But It Works
MyFonts.com: Website To Find And Test New Fonts

Screen Capture:

Screenflow: All In One Screen Capture Tool

Photo Management:

Flickr: Pro Account To Manage Photos

Time Management:

Things: Easy To Use Project Management Software

Travel:

Hostels.com: A Resource To Find Hostels
Kayak.com: Search Hundreds Of Sites For The Best Prices

Gadgets & Supplies

Here are all the gadgets I currently use to get my work done.

Computer:

MacBook: My One And Only Computer

Data Storage:

SimpleTech External Drive: 500GB GB Of Storage For Data

Digital Cameras:

Kodak Zi6: Small But Versatile Digital Video Camera
Nikon D80: The Digital Camera I Use For All My Photos

Microphone:

Blue Snowball: Awesome USB Microphone For Podcasting

Phone:

Apple iPhone: Phone That Does Music, Web, Email, Etc…

Travel:

The North Face Crestone 60: Large Capacity Backpack
Targus Laptop Lock: Helps Keep Your Laptop Safe

That’s It…

Hopefully this list will help you get everything you need to become a digital nomad. If there is something missing that you think should be on this list, please leave a comment. I would really appreciate it!

PS. I will also update this post whenever I get some new tools and will add a permanent link to it in my navigation bar so it’s easy to find.

Photo Credit: obscure allusion

The Perfect Tool For Online Storage

Justin Wright — Fri, 20 Mar 2009 19:22:57 +0000

When it comes to being a digital nomad, the most important thing of all is finding a way to keep everything available on the road. That’s why it is crucial to have a way to access your files, even when you don’t have your own computer along.

I have been searching for a tool to manage my online data storage for awhile now and have been disappointed with a few of the ones I have tried.

Luckily, I found Dropbox and have been more than happy with its features.

Overview:

What Dropbox does is allow you to backup files on your computer and store them online in the space they give you. You can then access those files by logging in to the website. It also allows you to share certain files, which makes it really useful for freelancers that need to share files with their clients.

Dropbox will store any file you might, and also makes it super easy to store photos. It has a built in photo gallery that makes it a breeze to store images.

Key Features:

Here are some of the key features that make Dropbox and awesome tool:

2 GB Of Free Space – When you sign up for Dropbox, they will give you 2 GB of free space. This works very well if you only have a certain amount of files to backup and want to save some money.
50 GB Premium Service – If 2 GB isn’t enough, you can opt for the premium service which will give you 50 GB of space for only $99 a year.
Automatically Syncs Folder – The first thing I noticed with Dropbox is that it started to synch the folders I wanted to automatically. Now it updates whenever I add or remove a file.
Works For Mac and PC – Unlike some software, Dropbox works with both PC and Mac so you do not have to worry about clients and their computers.

Still Not Sure?

If you are still not sure how it works, you can check out their screencast which gives a quick overview of how the system works. Check it out here.

Overall, the tool is super simple and highly effective. I like it so much that I will be adding it to my “Tools For Digital Nomads” section when I get it up and running.

Set up your free account and receive an extra 250 MB of space free with this link: Get Dropbox