Essential iPhone Apps - Two for January

By: Marc-Alain Reviere


There are now more than 133,000 applications available for the iPhone.

For crying out loud, make sure you have the essentials.

Music Essential: Public Radio Player

Music is marvelous! It inspires, moves, and grooves. For me, public radio can't be beat. It's authentic. It's diverse. It's America. KRVS in Lafayette, Louisiana features New Orleans jazz and creole zydeco stomp. Seattle's KEXP beams the best indie on the planet from artists like Arcade Fire and Wilco. The Public Radio Player is a sound way to catch the waves.

In no time you'll forget about opening browser windows and Googling for something of interest. Launch this app and search for public radio every which way: by state, call letters, or even program name. Honkey Tonk Heroes anyone? Yeee-ha!

You'll probably want to create a favorites list to archive the amazing, obscure stations you'll discover. Within the app, internet browsing is available but you won't be able to run other apps simultaneously like you can with the iPod app.

If you're a lover of music, throw one hand in the air. Use the other to download Public Radio Player. 

Creative Essential: Instagram

If you enjoy picture taking but don't like toting a camera around, you'll appreciate what Instagram can do for you. Although digital cameras capture higher resolution images than any iPhone, Instagram levels the playing field with fun, creative filters.

Filters are effects that can be applied to existing photos or to those that you are about to take. Big deal right? There are a thousand photo editing programs that can do the same thing. Well, not really. Instagram turns ordinary looking pictures into captivating ones almost every time. What's more is that its free, and ease of use is unmatched.

The effects take names like Nashville and Apollo. An ordinary digital picture of my dog was transformed into a Polaroid from the 80's. The new image now similar to a hazy memory or a memento from an old picture album.

Those who like to share will fancy Instagram's integration with popular networks like Twitter, Facebook, and Flickr. There's also a community within the app where members can view and rate pictures. If your snaps are good enough, they just might make it onto the Popular page.

If I had to gripe about anything at all, it'd be that Instagram is available on the iPhone, iPod, and iPad only. That means, augmenting photos stored elsewhere will require a transfer process. Even so, Instagram is a fun, creative tool that takes iPhone photography to a whole new level.

~ Essential iPhone Apps. A new monthly scribble from thecompanyproductions. 

2011: A Camera Odyssey

For the past two years, I've used a Sony Cybershot DSC-W90 for all of my business and creative needs. Thankfully, it's proven itself as a very dependable and highly capable instrument. Along the way I've captured thousands of great shots and more importantly, discovered a real passion for producing videos.

Sitting in my office earlier this month, I thought about all the juice I'd squeezed out of that little point-and-shoot. I also reflected on my business and creative projects - how they've evolved and become increasingly complex. Perhaps the "little Sony that could" had pulled enough weight already. So with Christmas on the brink and my girlfriend suggesting an upgrade, I began to research.

Frankly, the process was much longer than anticipated. Half of my time was spent comparing rival products and their features. Half was spent determining what I needed and didn't. I used helpful websites like digitalcamerainfo.com and www.dpreview.com. These are great for product discovery, comparison, and in-depth reviews. The best website for making a final decision, it turned out, was none other than YouTube!

The big challenge throughout the process was balancing needs vs. wants against a backdrop of real financial constraints. The Great Recession has been kicking my ass just like everybody else. Anything above four hundred bucks including tax, memory cards, etc. was completely out of the question.

Eventually, I figured out what I needed: the ability to capture HD video with stereo sound, 9 or more megapixels, and at least 10 times zoom. Three cameras met the criteria: Sony's Cybershot DSC-HX1, Canon's Powershot SX30IS, and Nikon's Coolpix P100.

How did I reach a decision? First, I read comparisons and expert reviews as mentioned. Then I searched YouTube and watched "unboxing" clips along with footage recorded by each camera. Lastly, I drove to Best Buy and played around - even though it was right before Christmas and the place was a freaking zoo.

In the end, I decided on the Nikon Coolpix P100.

Indeed, the Canon does several things better than the Nikon: longer zoom, better stabilization, a more maneuverable display, and four extra megapixels. All that is nothing to sneeze at. But the Canon's video capture capability tops out at 720p and sources describe its capture duration as "short." The SX30IS is a fine camera, I just think it was designed for photography first and video a distant second. With several cheaper compacts already offering 1080p, I just couldn't do it.

The Sony DSC-HX1 was tough to dismiss. The product has remarkable reviews and has been out since 2009. A big part of me wanted to remain brand loyal too. But there were glaring deal breakers. The process of zooming with the DSC-HX1 was like pouring cold molasses from a jar. It was that damn slow. I factored in other drawbacks: lowest-in-class resolution (9 megapixels), premium price tag ($400), and a looming forced purchase (Sony's proprietary memory products). My decision had become clear.

Is the Nikon Coolpix P100 the undisputed best-of-breed? All I know for sure is, "I got a Nikon camera ... I love to a take photograph ..."
~ Paul Simon, Kodachrome