Phone Apps | The Angel Forever

Category Archives Phone Apps

Using the WordPress App to Blog on the Go

Posted on May 17, 2013 12:00 am by TheAngelForever

Disclosure: As a member of the Verizon Lifestyle Bloggers, I recently received a Lucid 2 by LG to try and share ways that I use my cell phone to make life easier. This blog post utilizes the Lucid 2’s QuickMemo™ to share images of apps. There was no other compensation. I am a long time Verizon customer, and all opinions are my own.

When I travel, I typically have posts written and scheduled ahead of time. Sometimes, I write them and have also had some amazing guest writers over the years. Still, I have found myself at Walt Disney World or other locations with something that I want to blog at that moment. In the past, I was limited to using my laptop if I brought it with me. While I prefer to blog with Windows Live Writer, I am flexible when I need to be. Thanks to my smartphones, I am able to use the WordPress app for Android and I can publish at any time with my 4G LTE connection via Verizon Wireless.

The fist time I used this app was when we were at the Disney Social Media Moms celebration last April. I wanted to share some of the magical memories that we were having. Since I did not bring my Laptop (TechyDad had his), I used my phone. My post, Moving to Disney World, proved to me that mobile blogging is a possibility when I need it. When you look at that post, you can not really tell that it was done on the fly unless you notice the different watermarking and way that the photos are set up. Another example is Fantastic Memories from the same trip.

If you have never used the WordPress App it is really easy to install. Once you have it on your phone, you simply select if you have a WordPress.com blog, want a new blog, or use a self hosted WordPress blog like mine. Once you log in, you will have a dashboard of current published posts on the screen.

When you want to write a post, you simply press the “+” that you see in the screen shot above in the upper right corner. A blank post post will appear and it really does look like a smaller and more simple version of the WordPress publishing page. It took me a little while to remember how to use it since I use Live Writer to write, edit, and schedule my posts.

You simply go section by section through the screen. Give the post a title, then compose everything and add media from your phone, type in tags, and set other options the way you want them established.

Of course, the WordPress app also allows you to work with other items on your blog while out and about. From the main screen, you can open a menu by sliding your finger to the right to open up additional features. An item that TechyDad and I have had to use in the past is the comment area. If we get an e-mail about a comment and it is clearly spam, we can use this app to go in, mark it as spam and move on. Before we had smartphones, those comments would have to stay on our blogs unless we had computer access.

There is a lot more that you can do with the WordPress app, but these are some of the highlights. I know that I hope to use this app a lot more this summer while exploring new and fun locations with my family. Have you ever blogged on the go using the WordPress app? I would love to hear your experience.

Categories:
Phone Apps Technology

Getting to Know the Lucid 2 by LG

Posted on May 10, 2013 12:00 am by TheAngelForever

Disclosure: As a member of the Verizon Lifestyle Bloggers, I recently received a Lucid 2 by LG to try and share ways that I use my cell phone to make life easier. There was no other compensation. I am a long time Verizon customer, and all opinions are my own.

One of the items I missed when I graduated to a Smartphone was the portability of my new phone. Sure, I loved the bigger screen for seeing websites and apps better, but stuffing a giant item into my pocket while picking the kids up at school, or walking around Walt Disney World is not going to work. One other small issue, larger phones will not fit into those cute wristlets that are great when on the go traveling, running around on errands, or at a social media conference.

When I was asked to test out the LG Lucid 2 as part of the Verizon Lifestyle Bloggers, I jumped at the opportunity. I have never had an LG smartphone, so I was curious to see how it would compare to other devices that run on Android. A little over a week later, the Lucid 2 arrived and I have not looked back.

Some facts about the Lucid 2

Starter or Standard mode option for setting up the phone
Starter Mode includes simple menus and prompts to assist you during the process
Standard Mode allows you to customize the features and apps that you will use
Has a 4.3 inch qHD touch screen
Runs on Android™ 4.1 (Jelly Bean) operating system and 4G LTE
Includes a 2460 mAH battery and able to be charged wirelessly via additional accessories that can be purchased
Make screen shots of your phone using QuickMemo™
Comes with Video Wiz preloaded, along with a recording app to make HD videos on the go
Additional information, videos, and accessories for the Lucid 2 can be seen on the Verizon Wireless website.

Setting up the Lucid 2

Setting up the Lucid 2 was extremely easy. Although this is not my first smartphone, you never know how the process will go each time you begin.

Once I put my SIM card into the phone, it prompted me to select one of two options. Since I really wanted to customize my experience, I selected the Standard Mode. The phone does note that no matter which you select, you are able to change this later on under settings and mode change.

Within a short time I had all of the apps that I use positioned where I want them for now. I also moved music into a file to set as ring tones, and made sure that my contacts were only phone numbers, and not coming from e-mails. My SD card was set for saving photos and other items. Oh and one fun item I noted in the set up from the factory, water waves are visible to see how charged your phone is (later on I also set it up so the battery icon has a percentage next to it).

Items I like about the Lucid 2

Although I was skeptical about the size of the Lucid 2, I have not had any problems adjusting to the smaller screen size. Where I may not have the additional screen for apps, I am able to hold it with more ease and keep it in my pocket when on the go. The vivid color and look on the phone more than makes up for this.

Moving from one app to another is easy with the Lucid 2. I was able to take several photos of the sunset, edit them into a collage using PicsArt, and toss a watermark onto it with Add Watermark before sharing on Twitter and Facebook using Instagram. This was my final product:

I appreciate that the Google Chrome browser was already on the phone. I like the look and feel of the built in weather app. I can easily look at my local weather and flip to dream about being in Orlando, Florida.

The item that I am in LOVE with (yes I capitalized that) is QuickMemo™. Something I always noticed with people that use iPhones is their ability to take screen shots of apps or whatever they are doing on their phone. LG has made this possible on the Lucid 2 and it was extremely easy to use. You simply swipe from the top of the screen down and select QuickMemo™ to get started. You can save the screen shot, write on it, or send it to another app. This will be so handy for writing app reviews where photos with a camera of a phone are tricky.

While I typically have a camera with me at all times, being able to use the one in my phone is also important. The camera on the LG has some great options available on it. You can quick edit items and this includes changing: Zoon, Brightness, Focus, Shot Mode, Image Size, Scene Mode, ISO, White Balance, Color Effect, Timer, Geotagging, Shutter sound, Auto review, Storage, and reset back the way it was. You can also select Time catch shot which captures the moments before you actually press the shutter.

While testing out the phone, our tulips opened up and provided a great chance to see what the camera could do. This is unedited and watermarked with the Lucid 2 and taken just after some rain.

Of course, I took many other photos while celebrating Free Comic Book Day on May the 4th, shopping with my kiddo, reading books, and capturing more beauty from Mother Nature.

You may be asking, if I highlighted items that I like about the Lucid 2, what are items I do not like? The honest truth at this point is that there is only one small concern and that is battery life. Compared to many smartphones, this phone does well with battery life on a day. I use my phone a lot for e-mail, social media, sharing with family, and letting the kids play when waiting at locations. All of these are major strains on a battery. I will admit, my last Android phone likely spoiled me with battery life since it would still be at 30-50% at close to midnight. The Lucid 2 does not hold up to those standards. If I use it a lot, I will likely need to charge it at about dinner time. Having a backup charging device or extra battery would be a must when I travel or am at a networking event/conference.

Overall, I am very impressed and intrigued with this LG phone. I look forward to exploring more items and sharing them with you soon.

Categories:
Phone Apps Technology

Taking Photos with the BlackBerry Z10

Posted on May 2, 2013 12:00 am by TheAngelForever

Disclosure: As a member of the Verizon Lifestyle Bloggers, I recently received a BlackBerry Z10 and accessories to test out and share ways that I use my cell phone to make life easier. There was no other compensation. I am a long time Verizon customer, and all opinions are my own.

Taking photos is part of my life. Not only do I take pictures to capture memories of my family, but I am also on the go sharing moments in the fun world of social media. This means that I need a phone that has a reliable camera where I can point and click, edit, watermark, and share on multiple social media paths.

While testing out the BlackBerry Z10, I wanted to get to know the camera and I was not disappointed. The camera is extremely responsive. Unlike some of the other smartphones that I have used, it will focus very quickly on the item you are observing. There is little delay and you can quickly see the details that you have captured. What I also loved was the fact that you can press any location on the screen to take the picture. On other phones, you often have a tiny circular area as the target. While this may lead to extra pictures being taken, they can easily be deleted.

Here are some photos of flowers to see the level of detail that the Z10 camera produced. Obviously, these are not full resolution, but you can still get the idea (no retouching, I just added the watermark and caption).

Too often, cameras within a phone blur, have trouble with light, or are not able to work quickly. The Z10 really was able to keep up with my needs while on the go and taking photos, especially ones to share and utilize later on.

I usually share photos on Facebook and Twitter via Instagram. Of course, this app just arrived to Android users and is not available for BlackBerry. This meant that I had to Tweet items directly with Twitter and post right to Facebook. It made the process a bit more time consuming, but it was doable. What I had to search for in the BlackBerry World was for an app to watermark. I decided to try the PhotoFirma app. What I really liked about this app is that you can make a logo into your watermark. So rather than simply using the ©TheAngelForever.com, I could place my image right on the photo. Here is an example:

Overall, I think the BlackBerry Z10 has a lot of potential as a smartphone. It really does have many features that will be great for a business person that already uses BlackBerry with their work. I not only liked the camera, but the HUB and easy to use movements were great when getting to know the phone. The downfall for me as someone in social media and as a parent is the lack of apps available at this time. While approximately 100,000 apps may seem like a lot, it is very different than the 700,000 to 800,000 available on other platforms. The app developers have not focused on BlackBerry development at this time. There are just not enough of the apps that I utilize on a daily basis for it to be the right phone for me.

Categories:
Phone Apps Technology

The BlackBerry Z10

Posted on April 25, 2013 12:00 am by TheAngelForever

Disclosure: As a member of the Verizon Lifestyle Bloggers, I recently received a BlackBerry Z10 and accessories to test out and share ways that I use my cell phone to make life easier. There was no other compensation. I am a long time Verizon customer, and all opinions are my own.

In March, I was invited to NYC for a Verizon Wireless Life Style Blogger event. Unfortunately, I was not able to attend because it was during Passover. While I was home, I watched the #VZWBuzz Tweets of my fellow life style bloggers as they learned about new items available through Verizon Wireless. The hottest item was the sneak peek at the new BlackBerry Z10 phone.

A short time after this, I received a giant package from Verizon and BlackBerry. It was an amazing array of items to use with my brand new Z10 phone.

This was my first experience with a BlackBerry phone. As someone that is used to setting up other smartphone varieties, there was a bit of a learning curve here. Thankfully, there is a wealth of information on the Z10’s page over at Verizon. In addition to this, they have more videos about phones and services on their YouTube channel. Here is one in case you are not familiar with the features on the new Z10.

The initial set up of the Z10 was not difficult. Once I had my BlackBerry account set up, I was able to view the main screen. From here, I immediately went to BlackBerry World to look for some apps. The first one that I installed was Kindle. You never know when I may want to read on the go, especially while waiting for the kids outside of school.

The Z10 also reminded me about another service that Verizon Wireless offers. If you are not aware, Verizon offers Wireless Workshops. These may be completed online or in stores to help you learn to use your phone features. While I have never done any of these personally, I love that the option is there.

More of my thoughts on the Z10 coming soon, along with some features and apps that I enjoyed using. I would love to hear your experience with BlackBerry, their apps, and whether or not you have used a Verizon Wireless Workshop.

Categories:
Phone Apps Technology

Ditch that Paper List for an App

Posted on April 8, 2013 12:00 am by TheAngelForever

Disclosure: As a member of the Verizon Lifestyle Bloggers, I recently received a RAZR HD phone to test out and share ways that I use my cell phone to make life easier. There was no other compensation. I am a paid Verizon customer, and all opinions are my own.

Here is my time for a confession. I am a list maker. I thrive by making lists. They help me to recall things, stay more organized, and keep on task. It could be the teacher in me, but I really have a hard time when there is no list to keep me going. Of course, there is a problem with my paper list method.

As you can see above, there are three lists and most likely more of them floating around my work area, calendar, and beyond. In addition to this, I am notorious for forgetting my list when heading to the store. There is nothing more dangerous than shopping for groceries without a list.

Just before Passover, TechyDad and I were out to lunch without the boys. As we were planning out Passover Seders and meals, I wanted to make a list. We were researching sponge cake recipes and needed to get some items. Problem, I had changed my purse and did not have paper or a pen. Solution – I quickly added a new app to my RAZR HD.

With Out of Milk on my phone, I was ready to go. I can use the shopping list to keep track of items that I need to pick up at the store. Plus, the To-Do List option allows me to keep tabs on items that I need to get done during the day or week ahead. There is more to explore, but that will come with time and I am also curious about the paid version of the app as well.

The best part of this free version of the app is that I no longer forget my shopping lists on the dining room table. Let’s be honest here, I have done that so many times I can’t even keep track. Now, when I am at the store and I think of something I need to do, I can open up the app and add it to my list. Simple, easy, and very effective.

Do you have apps that you use to help with organization and/or daily tasks? I would love to know as I continue to explore more items on my smartphone.

Disclosure: As a member of the Verizon Lifestyle Blogger program, I am testing out different devices and sharing how I utilize them in my life. No other compensation was received and all opinions are my own. We have been long time Verizon Wireless customers.