This week’s App of the Week #1 is Bump.
Description: This is the very first app I wrote about that started the App of the Week, so I thought it would be my first “refresher”. Several things have changed since this app first came out and many of you may not have it and it is a “must” for everyone as it is a great way to exchange your contact information, pictures, social networks, calendar events and contacts anywhere!! This is still one of my favorites and on my first page, which is saying a lot considering that I have over 250 apps!!
Cost: Free
Directions:
- Download the application from the App Store. If you already have this app, make sure you sign in to the app store and check for updates and then download them if needed.
- Open the application.
- It will first ask you if Bump can send you push notification. You need to say “ok” so it will work.
- The main screen shows the items you can bump, but first we need to get your contact information set up! Tap on the gear at the top right of the screen. It will show you at the top and tap the “edit” button and then it will give you options for: view/edit my contact, select my contact, or crate my contact. If you are in your own address book, then tap on “select my contact” and then choose yourself in your address book. This will auto fill the information. You can tap on “edit” to review or change the information. Right below it it has two on/off sections that say: “automatically add photos you receive to photo album” and “automatically add contacts you receive to address book”. If you say yes to both of these then they will auto save to your phone. The next options are to connect to your Facebook, Twitter and Linked In. Sign into each of these you have and/or want to use and then it will connect to your friends via social networking as well as in your phone. When you are done, tap the “done” at the top right to go back to the main screen.
- Now, back on the main screen it shows you the options for sharing: contacts (including yourself and others), photos (ones you take right then and ones in your library), social networks (this includes getting connected with Facebook, LinkedIn, following you and/or following them, or you can find mutual friends on Facebook, LinkedIn and Twitter), and last but definately the coolest, Calendar (this allows you to send a calendar event and also check availability for when your calendar’s match up for an open time to meet. For each of the items, when you are ready to “bump” tap the iPhones together and they will exchange the info.
- Contact cards – Since you have already picked your contact information and edited the way you want it, it should be ready to go to share your info. If you scroll down to the bottom, you can edit original contact info or save profile as. This lets you have multiple contact profiles to share with different people. You may want to share your personal address and info with some and your business address with others. The top as two options “me” and “others”. The “others” is where you add a contact from your contact list in your phone to share with other people.
- Photos – This is where you select pictures from your library or take a picture right then to share. Tap on the “add photos” to get them from your iPhone library. The picture of the Camera will take you to the camera to take a picture.
- Social Networks – If you didn’t sign into Facebook, LinkedIn and Twitter in your settings, then you can sign into them here. If the checkmark is on the icon, that means that one will be exchanged and connected. The top row is to “get connected” and the bottom row is for “finding mutual friends”.
- Calendar – This is so cool that you can share an event from your calendar or add a new event to share. When you select “add existing event” it will take you to a list of your calendar events and simply tap on the event. You can add more than one event at a time to share. New event will take you to the “add event” to your calendar. Just like adding it to your calendar, give it a title, location, start, end, repeat status, alert, calendar and notes. When done, tap done and it will add it to the bump list. At the top, you will see an option for “find availability”, which after you bump your devices, it will show the grayed out areas where the other person has appointments already.
- Now that you have chosen the items to Bump, tap the devices together and it does the rest. It will ask you if you want to connect to the person you bumped with. (Example: Connect with Carolyn Thompson? Yes No) Then it will show you what was sent and received. It also gives an option to send a comment (like a text message). The up arrow next to the “send” button will allow you to share more information since you are connected to that person. When done tap “close” at the top right. Happy sharing!
Options:
- Once you have saved a profile in your contact cards, if you change any of the settings, it will give you the option for custom profile again and then you can name it something like “Personal” or “Business” and then the settings are saved and you select the one you want to use.
- Anytime you want to see the “history” of your bumps, it is at the bottom of the main screen. The history is sorted two ways, either by date or name. You can edit your history by tapping “edit” at the top left and then the red minus and delete next to the one to delete.
This week’s App of the Week #2 is iPhone 4 Case Program.
Description: I guess the squeaky wheel gets the grease. Many people have complained about dropped calls on the iPhone 4. I have not experienced a lot of that, but hey, they are going to give a free case to all iPhone 4 users, so that is cool. This is an app that you must download in order to take advantage of the program.
Cost: Free
Directions:
- Download the application from the App Store.
- Once you have downloaded the app, open it.
- It will open to the “Get Started” screen. Tap the “get started” and it will prompt you for your iTunes password. Enter your password and tap “sign in”.
- Next you will see the cases available for free. Select one at a time. To see multiple pictures of the case, tap on the “photo gallery” and it will show you more pictures. Tap on the arrows at the bottom of the screen to change to the next picture. When done, tap on the screen and then the “info” at the top left to go back. If you don’t want that one, or want to look at more, tap on the “select your case” at the top left. Some of the cases are rubber, some “snap” on, so make sure you read about them before deciding which one you want to order. Don’t forget to look at the shipping time under the case name, which shows how long it will take to get the one you have chosen.
- Once you have decided, tap the “select” button on the case screen you have chosen. It will then take you to the shipping screen and display your address. Verify the information is correct and then tap “place order” at the top right.
- Next you will see the “thank you” screen. It will tell you that it approximately when it will ship and also that it will send you a notification of the shipment to your email and display your email address.
Options:
- If you try to sign into this app a second time after your order, it will still prompt for your iTunes password and then it will give you a message that you have already ordered a case for this iPhone and they will email you when it ships
