iPhone 5: Siri Could Self Destruct

Siri - Speech Recognition

As the iPhone 5 release is quickly approaching in the Summer of 2012, creators are experimenting with the idea of a self-destructing iPhone 5 feature. Yup - self-destructing.  It's so easy to set your phone down, forget where you left it, and/or get your phone stolen.  Misplacing or getting your phone stolen leaves a very uneasy feeling and often a surge of panic through your entire body.  People are using smartphones for everything from email to updating their Facebook status to basic text messaging and often have very private and confidential information on their phone.  It's important to protect your privacy (and often the privacy of others); and with all of this valuable information located in one small piece of technology, this can be a true challenge.

NFL Apps!

For those of you who enjoy football season (and the fact that the draft just happened) the question remains as to what is the best way to prep for the coming season and the fantasy leagues that you and your buddies are gonna make. For me, it looks like lots of nachos, hot dogs, and good times with my friends and family watching that pigskin being thrown about. So how should YML "tackle" this issue?

First I would tell you to watch football with your phone. As cool as the apps are that I'm gonna show you, make sure that you get to watch games with somebody other than yourself. That's what they're there for. 

But secondly, enjoy the incredible amount of stats, points, games and whatever else you would need by  using your mobile device! 

Smartphones and Work: Offering Benefits or Creating a Mess?

Do smartphones dilute the work-life balance?

Technology is rapidly changing in today's society - quickly outpacing the rates at which companies purchase new tools and innovative equipment.  For personal use, this technology is allowing people to stay connected like never before.  However, this computing power is also creating problems when it enters the work environment.  Smartphones may allow workers to increase their productivity, but they also disrupt the work-life balance when emails are being answered off the clock.  Along with this, allowing personal devices to be used at work can create many problems, including increased IT department costs and legal mayhem if anything is to go wrong.  In the end, companies must weigh the benefits of allowing employees to use their own smartphone for work against having fewer hassles from simply standardizing equipment that the employees use.  I will explore some of the opinions and issues that both companies and employees face below.

The Ultimate Grocery Shopping App

Shopping Zen 

From personal experience, grocery shopping is a weekly ritual, but it is inevitable that every week, I forget something – and of course I realize it when I get all the way home! But after looking online for quick recipes, I came across an app that has saved my little grocery shopping life! 

Of course, as college seniors at Your Mobile Life, we truly understand the meaning of broke.  We really try to suggest and offer reviews on free applications that any iPhone or Android user can use.  So once again, I was incredibly relieved to find that this awesome app was available for free!

So, what’s the name of this life saving app?  It’s called ZipList.  Here are a few reasons that I love this new app.  You can…

OpenStreetMaps vs. Google Maps

For those of us who can't actually remember how to get to work, tell where we are in a city, or even go to the grocery store (despite the fact that it's three blocks away), Google has been a huge help with the program that I know you all are familiar with and no doubt cherish deeply: Google Maps. Since 2009, this program has been top dog - beating out MapQuest once and for all.

Is Google losing it's crown?

The almost universally used software for just about any business, park, or restaurant has been comprised of both satellite imagery and it's revolutionary 360 degree view of the terrain called StreetView. These stunning displays are updated by a fleet of over 1,000,000 vehicles patrolling most of North America, Asia, Europe, and most other big populaces. 

However, there is a new player on the block: OpenStreetMap. This new map system, used now by Wikipedia, Foursquare, and other big companies, are using this new map system instead of Google maps because of both it's free usage (much like Wikipedia) and not having an API (Application Programming Interface), which is expensive for these companies to use. It is also crowd-sourced like Wikipedia in the sense that each entry in the map requires a source to reference it.

However, after using it myself and playing around with it, it's clear to note that aesthetically, OpenStreetMaps is much easier to use and navigate, despite not having a satellite function. It loads incredibly fast, and for those of us that have some map experience, incredible clarity and usability. It's also really user-friendly and definitely has taken my vote over Google Maps. And the benefit? If it isn't detailed enough for you, you can fix it!

Overall, despite the fact that this company is taking on maps as we know it, OpenStreetMaps is worth looking into for personal use. I recommend it.