Only of relevance to people with iPhones

[SmithsonianWA]

Depends on what you do. Downloading / Watching video on 3G will drain the battery worst. Using GPS is next, then Bluetooth. Just use it as a phone and the battery life is fine. I just charge mine every night anyway.

Any app that is broadcasting continuesley over the 3G connection will drain the battery really fast.

I disable the Wireless and Bluetooth during the day. If you are not using them (i dont have any accessbile wifi at work) it is a good idea.

I think beaconing on the wifi all day lookin for networks seems to drain a lot of battery too!

Cheers,

Tim.

[Peoplesoft bloke]

Can anybody recommend any worthwhile utilities for contractors to download from the iTunes store for their iPhones?

iPint, bubble wrap, light sabre, flashlight.

[DaveB]

Sorry, I don't have an iPhone, so I can't help you.

Back into the darkness with you, Heathen!

[PerlOfWisdom]

Only of relevance to people with iPhones

Sorry, I don't have an iPhone, so I can't help you.

[plinthadenoid]

On my first gen phone (jailbroken and unlocked) I had an app called NemusSync which did wireless sync with my gmail calendar/contacts. On site at the client I have a rule set up that will forward all meeting requests to my gmail account which automatically adds them to my google calendar, then with NemusSync I have an up to date calendar on the phone.

Can't get NemusSync for the 3g phone yet, I was hoping the author would put it in the app store, but as I'm now legit and have a price plan including data I can just use the online calendar instead. If o2 would ever get their thumbs out of their... ahem. Why does it take an age to transfer a number? I gave them the PAC code on Wednesday last week..

[DaveB]

It really seems to use up the battery. I charged mine up the previous night and it was down to the red bar by 4pm. I switched it off and removed it during synching when I got home. That got me back in the green zone.

Here I Am is an app that broadcasts your location to whoever you choose.

Depends on what you do. Downloading / Watching video on 3G will drain the battery worst. Using GPS is next, then Bluetooth. Just use it as a phone and the battery life is fine. I just charge mine every night anyway.

Any app that is broadcasting continuesley over the 3G connection will drain the battery really fast.

[HermanDune]

Don't download Here I Am

It really seems to use up the battery. I charged mine up the previous night and it was down to the red bar by 4pm. I switched it off and removed it during synching when I got home. That got me back in the green zone.

Here I Am is an app that broadcasts your location to whoever you choose.

[DaveB]

iPhone 3g can be jailbroken now i.e. you can install non App Store apps. It is a non-trivial process, you can see the details here I've not done it yet as I havn't found an app I want enough to make it worth the risk and effort.

TBH The iPhone does everything I want right now. There are a few extra's I'd like to see like flash support in the browser and proper cut and paste when editing text. A fully implemented BlueTooth stack would be nice as well.

But non of those actually stop me doing anything atm so I'm not too bothered about it.

[scooterscot]

Can you jailbreak the new iPhones? Install installer, I've got a number of contractor friendly apps installed including:

scientific calculator
iPlot
AFPd - makes your phone as a server so visible in finder
Converter - amazingly useful anything from weight to temperature to currency
Sketches - forget the back of a fag packet this little app allows me to draw with my finger and e-mail the drawing. Practical.
Tech dictionary -

[HermanDune]

Can anybody recommend any worthwhile utilities for contractors to download from the iTunes store for their iPhones?

I found this one called Nexonia, for handling expenses. However, it requires a ten dollar monthly subscription and might only be of use in the United States.

http://www.nexonia.com/en/iphone.html