Soci@lByte

It’s no secret that AT&T has become the wireless industry’s whipping boy lately. Dropped calls, slow wireless Internet connections and spotty network coverage complaints have aggravated many AT&T customers, and many iPhone users have been begging Apple to open the phone to other networks, most notably Verizon. The iPhone is handicapped by being tied exclusively to AT&T’s inferior network, according to these critics.

But yesterday, a wireless industry researcher announced that poorly designed iPhone hardware likely is the primary cause of AT&T customers’ connection problems. The researcher says the iPhone’s chipsets have trouble connecting to cell towers, resulting in poor performance for both voice and Internet connections. Analysts say that AT&T actually is better than Verizon on metrics ranging from network coverage to download speeds to rollover minutes. The problem with AT&T’s network is that it is overwhelmed by iPhone data traffic, which is estimated to be twice that of a typical smart phone.

So like millions of other iPhone users, I hope Apple offers the iPhone through Verizon, T-Mobile and Sprint when its exclusive deal with AT&T expires this summer. But unlike most of them, I’ll probably stay with AT&T. I just want Apple to spread the massive amount of bandwidth demand across multiple providers’ networks rather than just AT&T’s. That move alone should instantly fix AT&T’s network issues. And while Verizon’s marketing executives may salivate at the thought of offering the iPhone, I can guarantee you its network operations executives are scared to death. AT&T has seen the iPhone wreak havoc on its once-strong brand reputation, and I doubt Verizon has any silver bullet that will protect it if it experiences a mass migration of iPhone users.

I have previously written about how I judge people based on the apps found on their iPhones. What I neglected to do was recommend some good apps to replace them with. My apologies – here’s a new app that I love and hope many of you will find useful:

Ask Dave Taylor
Local tech blogger Dave Taylor recently launched an iPhone app version of his tech support blog that has quickly become one of my favorite on-the-go resources. The app houses thousands of his best Q&A posts. And when I say tech support, I mean far more than troubleshooting. He answers questions about blogging, social media, business and management, and totally sexy shell script programming.

Dave’s warm, folksy way of writing is preserved in the speedy, stable app. Many of his answers include images, which I find helpful. There’s also an option that allows you to send a question of your own to Dave, in the event that you want to know something that’s not covered in the loads of articles available in the app.

The app will cost you a dollar, but I recommend it highly. This link will take you to the app via iTunes. Enjoy!

Do you hate your company-issued computer? Of course you do. Your IT department is in charge of what computer you get, and its goal is to reduce cost, not increase your efficiency. That’s why you probably have a 2004 Dell laptop that couldn’t process its way out of a paper bag. Wouldn’t it be nice if you were in charge of your computer? If you could select whether you got a PC or Apple? And if you could load whatever applications helped you do your job the best way possible?

While that may seem like a pipe dream, it could be closer than you think. Stodgy old Kraft Foods has seen the light and made a number of changes recently to empower employees to be more productive. For example, the company gives employees a stipend so they can pick the smartphone they want, and it also has started a pilot program that allows employees to pick their own laptops. As if that weren’t impressive enough, Kraft also recently ordered its IT department to stop blocking consumer and social media Web sites. It figured that employees who couldn’t access those sites might fall behind important industry trends.

I don’t know if Kraft’s strategy is the future or simply the exception that proves the rule, but let’s hope it is the start of something new.

3) What would you recommend other marketers consider before launching a corporate brand iPhone application? Before launching an app, be sure it is going to work in a way that is useful for your customers. With a franchise restaurant for example, be sure your franchisees are on board. If you can only order at some restaurants but not all, it may confuse customers. Or taunt them if they want to use it but can’t. All or our restaurants are company owned, so that wasn’t an issue. Also, be sure the app does something of real value, like allowing customers to order food. If it’s just a store locator for example, people may not want the app after they’ve found you.

From the desk of Elaine Schoch…

If you have an iPhone you more than likely have a favorite app – or 20.  App of the Day isn’t a new iPhone app but rather a new website that features community-nominated iPhone and iPod touch apps everyday. Given the sheer number of apps out there weeding through them to find really good ones can be taxing. App of the Day features a new app everyday but also lets users search for previously featured apps to see what the community has said about them.

App of the Day could be very useful if a large number of people register and participate in nominating apps to be showcased. If you have a few apps you love, register and nominate – oh, and share them with us too!

From the desk of Elaine Schoch…

I found myself on the patio at Pat O’Brien’s in New Orleans last weekend chatting with a friend who is an IT director and asked him my favorite iPhone owner to iPhone owner question – “what is your favorite app”. The typical five-minute conversation turned into an hour. (Seriously, how geeky is it to be sitting at Pat O’Brien’s talking about iPhone apps?!?) Two of the 55 he had that I really liked were 1Password and Bump. Ok, to be honest after a Pat O’s Hurricane I’m doing well to remember two…

1Password

This nifty little app will store your important information like passwords, credit card info and membership numbers so you don’t have to. The cool thing is that it also encrypts the information and has an auto-lock to keep the data protected if your iPhone is lost or stolen.

Bump

I typically find myself without business cards at the most inopportune times – like at new business meetings. Bump makes swapping contact information and even photos as simple as ‘bumping’ the two phones together. (I also use Contxt – you can send/get contact info via SMS.)

From the Desk of Ef Rodriguez…

We judge people every day. Sometimes based on appearance (“That boy could use a perm!”) or sometimes by word choice or diction, as our vocabulary is often a window through which others glimpse how well we performed on the SAT verbal component.

[NOTE: The author achieved a perfect score. Raise the roof.]

One of the new ways that we judge people owes a debt of gratitude to Señor Jobs and his marvelous iPhone. Have you had coffee with someone recently, chatting amicably, when your cohort asked to see your iPhone to “see what apps you have”?

Beware! You are being judged!

For a skilled app appraiser (appppraiser?), it takes only moments to determine what kind of iPhone user you are.

• Which Twitter app do you use?
• Do you still have that wack lightsaber app from the iPhone’s launch?
• Is your iPhone stuffed with LITE versions of apps because your incurable avarice won’t allow you to put down a couple bucks for the full version? Jerk.

Think about these things as you scroll through your pages of apps (you do have more than one page of apps, right?). Are you proud of what your iPhone says about you? Just as this particular device enables us to be social at all times, the same schoolyard rules apply.

I’ll see you and your iPhone at recess, loser.

From the desk of Elaine Schoch…

This weeks iPhone apps I’m loving.

Starbucks Card Mobile

I’m a caffeine junkie and Starbucks is my dealer. So, it’s no surprise I’m dying to try Starbucks new app – Starbucks Card Mobile. It gives you a virtual Starbucks Card so you can pay for your drink with a bar code in your iPhone. Right now it’s only available in 16 locations in Silicon Valley and Seattle. Note to Starbuck – when you come to Denver please let me know. I can make a few recommendations on test locations, of course they’re close to my office so I can share my feedback.

FoodScanner

I’m still trying to get back into my skinny jeans after having a baby so I recently joined the DailyBurn to help track my workouts, find fitness programs, etc. (Perhaps I should cut Starbucks out of my diet too…) So I was excited to see its new iPhone app – FoodScanner. It’s the the first food journal iPhone application that incorporates a barcode scanner to let you quickly input multiple variables of nutritional information. You just scan the barcode on the package, and then tap the number of servings you consumed. It’s super easy and the best part is the information syncs with the your DailyBurn account or the app can serve as a standalone food journal.

If you have any good apps you recommend let us know…

From the desk of Elaine Schoch…

I did not sleep on the sidewalk or wait for hours in a line to get the iPhone when it first came out. Instead, two weeks after it was released I conveniently left my cell phone in my car when I was running to catch a flight to New York City for a business trip. This was not planned, or so my husband believes… Regardless, a girl can’t be without a phone in NYC – especially when she’s four months pregnant. So upon my arrival I jumped into a cab and headed to the Apple store in SoHo.

The first time I held the iPhone I was in love. I can’t even explain the giddiness I felt when the App Store came out. Each week I get a little twinge of this feeling back as I scour over the ad Apple runs in the Sunday New York Times.

Yes, I know and openly admit – I am a full fledge gadget geek. But, I’m not alone…

Since we’re just kicking off this blog I’ve asked my fellow Soci@lByte bloggers to share their favorite iPhone apps with me to give you a sense of who we are and what we’re about. Moving forward, each week I’m going to post a few new apps I’ve found to be useful – or a waste of time/money. If you have ones you’d like to share, please do.

Soci@lByte Bloggers Favorite iPhone Apps

Me – Elaine Schoch

• TweetDeck: If you use TweetDeck and have an iPhone this app synchronizes the two so all your contacts and columns can be in two places at once.
• Recorder: I never thought I would use this one very often but as my daughter started to laugh and sing songs I had to capture them. (It’s great to playback her little laughs when you’re having a bad day.) I’ve also been known to use this for app in meetings or brainstorms but its more fun to playback Samantha laughing.
• Shazam: Listening to a song and want to know who sings it? Hold your phone up to the music and presto it tells you the song, band, album and will connect you to iTunes to buy it.
• Maps: I can get lost in my house if I’m not careful so this app is essential for helping me get where I need to be and on time.

Melissa Hourigan

• Urban Spoon: According to Melissa, “This is a great app for finding a lunch location when traveling with a client and you need to find something quick.” The reviews and price categories are also very helpful.
• Bug Squash: “This is fun app to play with and a great distraction for little ones when you are at the airport or grocery store.” (Watch out for her son – he likes to grab any phone now to play ‘bugs’.)

Ef Rodriguez

• WoW Armory: “This app allows me to keep track of my characters in World of Warcraft, a massive online game that I have devoted hours and hours to playing. I can also search for my friends’ characters and get information about them. It’s the nerdiest thing in town, but I’m delighted with it.”
• Huffington Post: “Simple and effective. Allows me to read top HuffPost stories on my phone with very little loading time. More pubs should do this.”

Elaine Ellis

• Red Laser: “Price scanning for the shopper.”
• White Noise: “I use this app for plane calls.”
• Scrabble: Just because it’s fun.
• Notes: “It’s boring but I love it.”

Jeremy Story

“My favorite apps change pretty often, but right now it would be TweetDeck for work so that I can track what people are saying about my clients and XM for personal use so I can stream the commercial-free music that I like.”