Of all the fantastic things about owning an iPhone 4 (and they are many), finding an attractive case isn’t one of them.   Yeah, I was able to redeem a black case from the Free Case app, but that was purely for function.  Boring!   Where are the funki phone cases?  Still waiting to be made I guess; the accessory vendors are taking quite a long time to catch up to current technology.

Just when I was about to lose hope, I was excited to discover that I could make a custom Deflector Case on Uncommon‘s website.   I thought my own funki logo would look great on a phone case and when I received it in the mail a week later, I was pleased.

Pretty sweet, huh?

I thought so too.  That is, until I tried to take the case off my phone…..and found that I couldn’t.   Frustrated and afraid that I might damage my phone if I try too hard, I googled.  And I found out that this is a common problem with Uncommon cases.  Now I was really scared because some people had to take drastic measures to remove the case.   In the end it took me an HOUR to pry the case off my phone and I damaged the case in the process (but not my phone, thank God).

I have purchased an Uncommon Capsule Case in the past for my iPhone 3G and while it was snug, I think the 2 piece construction made for easier removal.  By contrast the Deflector Case is a one piece snap-on unit and once it’s on, that’s it, they are mated for life.

So until I find a phone case that is both fashionable and functional, my phone will be dressed in basic black.   Borrrring!

Do you have an iPhone 4?  Have you found a source for functional and fashionable phone cases?  Hip me!

Other posts you may like about Apple products:

Believe The Hype: Apple

Things I Like: iPhone Gratitude Journal App

What I Like (and don’t like) About The Apple Ipad

© 2010, Funkidivagirl.com. All rights reserved. Republished only with permission.

You might remember my post back in June when I was so excited to get my Apple iPad.

Since then I’ve had a few months to use it and here’s what I think:

• The resolution is astounding.  I prefer looking at photos on my iPad more than on my MacBook.  Everything I view on the iPad is crisp, clean and bursting with color.  (*Note: if you want to upload photos directly to the iPad, you need the Camera Connectivity Kit as there is not a USB port.)

• It’s bigger than my iPhone, but easy to carry around.  I can easily carry it in a large purse or a small tote bag.

• The battery life is impressive; I hardly have to charge it at all.

• With Mobile Me, my calendar, contacts and email sync automatically between my iPhone, MacBook and iPad, so I rarely have to sync directly with my computer.  (Although I can go on a rant about Mobile Me, which is very wonky and always acting weird.  But that’s not the iPad’s fault.)

• It plays my music, just like an iPod.  The speaker is pretty good too.

• As with the iPhone, it’s all about the apps.  Although there aren’t that many apps exclusively for the iPad, most iPhone apps work on the iPad just fine.  Some apps appear small when opened, but can be made larger without too much loss of resolution.  Games are definitely more fun to play on the iPad versus the iPhone.  (I just don’t understand why there isn’t a Facebook app for the iPad!  I do not like viewing Facebook through the web!)

• I can read books on the iPad using the Kindle or iBooks app.   Although this is not my preferred method of reading books (I still prefer paper), it’s very convenient when I travel.  I will put a book or two on my iPad and my traveling load is much lighter.  I do feel odd reading with the iPad on the beach or poolside and I am paranoid about getting water or sand on my device, so it’s not perfect.   But if I run out of reading material while on vacation, I can easily buy another book online.  A good book.  Not Confessions of a Shopaholic, like I was once forced to buy at a remote hotel gift shop because I had run out of books to read.   That was most unfortunate.

• I have gotten much better at reading The Bible daily by using my iPad.  The YouVersion app is amazing; I use a reading plan that keeps me on track.   I often read while eating my breakfast after the kids have gone to school.

• The Penultimate app is perfect for taking written notes.  And although I haven’t tried it yet, I have Pages, iWork and GoodReader on my iPad for typing documents that can later be transferred to my computer.

Alas, it’s not all good.  This is what I don’t like about the iPad:

• I don’t type very well on the iPad.  I know other people who type with ease, but not me.  I often resort to one finger typing instead of typing like I have a keyboard.  So I bought an Apple bluetooth keyboard and it’s handy when I plan on typing a lot, but then it’s another thing to carry around also, which defeats the purpose.

• It’s not easy write a blog post on the iPad.  This is a major disappointment for me.  The WordPress app is very limited–when it works; it crashes most of the time.  Trying to blog in the backend of my website is impossible as well; there is a bug that won’t allow me to type in the body of the post or add photos.  I’ve researched this and everyone has the same problem.  I’ve played around with it and have figured out how to write a very simple blog post using 3 different applications, but it’s a pain.

• Multi-tasking is not possible.  I hope that a future update will allow this feature as it’s cumbersome to always go back to the home screen when switching between apps.

Despite the shortcomings, I like having an iPad.  I use it as a “big iPhone” (except I can’t use it as a phone) and I think that’s the best expectation to have.  As my husband said, it’s best for “consuming media” rather than outputting information.   When I don’t want to bring my laptop, it’s a good option.  It does not take the place of a computer, and it’s definitely a luxury rather than a necessity, but I think that it’s a worthwhile purchase.

And truthfully, it’s just FUN!

*Do you have an iPad?  What do you like (or dislike) about it?  What are some of your favorite apps?

© 2010, Funkidivagirl.com. All rights reserved. Republished only with permission.

So Facebook changed the “fan” pages to “like” pages.  Honestly it was a bit weird asking someone to become a “fan;” kind of narcissistic, you know?

But now if you don’t “like” me, well, I can’t help but to take it personally.

*sniff sniff*

I know you don’t want to hurt my feelings (you’re good people!), so just go to Facebook.com/Funkidivagirl and click the “Like” button at the top of the page for all the funki goodness to appear in your news stream.

*Or just click the Facebook badge below.

Funkidivagirl.com

Promote Your Page Too

© 2010, Funkidivagirl.com. All rights reserved. Republished only with permission.

I’ve been waiting for weeks while it was on back-order at the Apple Store, compulsively checking my email, but yesterday I finally received this:

I still have to sync it to my MacBook, add some apps and do all kinds of things to make it mine, but isn’t it lovely?

© 2010, Funkidivagirl.com. All rights reserved. Republished only with permission.

I love my iPhone.  I use it to check the weather first thing in the morning and it’s the last thing I turn off at night.   Like millions of others, I can tweet, text and update my status with the best of them.  But I have noticed that all this wonderful technology has caused people to become less courteous in their interactions with each other.  Old social norms like paying attention to someone when they are speaking seem to be no longer be required in our post smart-phone society; the text or email on the Blackberry takes priority over the person sitting in front of us.   It’s enough to make me rant!

If we are sharing a meal together, then I deserve your attention.

During our lunch date I understand that sometimes you may be waiting for an important message or call from someone (because we are expected to be always available), but proper etiquette would suggest informing your companion of your expected interruption and if it does occur, excusing yourself, taking care of the business quickly and apologizing to me, your lunch date.  Once the business is handled, put the phone away.   If you would rather tweet or text or talk to your mother on the phone, then don’t invite me to to lunch.   We can be BFFs on Twitter while multitasking, but personal interaction requires undivided attention.

I can hear your computer keys clicking (or your mouth chewing).

Multitasking…this is such a normal part of lives now that we really don’t know how not to do it.  I multitask like everybody else, but I find that I can’t do it very effectively if a live person is involved and you can’t either.  Don’t kid yourself; I know when you are on the computer while also talking to me on the phone.  Your voice takes on that “uh-huh, right, really?” tone that tells me that you are only half-listening to what I’m saying.  Sometimes I use the computer while talking on the phone too, but I do let my callers know that I am otherwise engaged; I don’t try to pretend that I am giving them my undivided attention when I’m not.  If a friend calls and I am a engaged in light computer research then I will say so (I don’t even answer the phone if I am writing, so there’s no conflict there).  At that point we can have a half-hearted conversation under full-disclosure or decide to talk later.

The same rules apply to eating lunch while on the phone.  If we are close like that then just tell me that you are eating lunch, don’t try to pretend that you aren’t and then talk with a full mouth.   However, I draw the line at peeing while on the phone.  It doesn’t sound like running water, it sounds like pee.  Just don’t do it.  Put me on hold, handle your business and then resume the conversation.

I’m not your chauffeur; talk to me.

When my kids are in the car during our everyday transport, I prefer them to be engaged in conversation with me, listening to music or just staring out the window instead of playing games or sending texts on their phone.    Some of the best conversations happen in the car and that’s not possible if their attention is elsewhere.   I know that the car is a good place for an adult passenger to read their emails, return texts or update their Facebook status (“I’m riding in the car on the way to work”….the whole world is waiting to read that, you can’t let them down), but it’s only okay as long as you tell the driver that you are going to do that for a few minutes and excuse yourself from the expected passenger-seat conversation.  Nobody likes to feel like a chauffeur.

Jesus doesn’t follow you on Twitter.

I see people in church with their Blackberries or iPhones, thumbs flying.  I agree that they could be looking at a Bible app (my husband’s excuse) and reading scripture, but it’s such a temptation to quickly check your email or send a tweet (“I’m really enjoying church; the service is awesome today.”) that it’s just better to be totally engaged in church and leave your phone in your pocket.  They do still make Bibles in book form.

A few weeks ago I was at a school function and the speaker was a little long-winded for most of the people in the audience.  As I looked around the room I saw several heads bowed and iPhone lights glowing in the darkened theater.   That was rude.  If you are bored during a speaking event, the courteous thing to do is stare straight ahead and mentally play “what I would do if I hit the lottery tomorrow.”

If you read Emily Post I’m sure that she would tell you the same thing.

What do you think?  Do you think that technology is causing us to become less courteous?  Does it bother you when people text, email or are otherwise distracted in your presence?

© 2010, Funkidivagirl.com. All rights reserved. Republished only with permission.