myphonedesktop
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Win two copies of myPhoneDesktop
I've mentioned myPhoneDesktop before, including listing it as one my best apps from 2010. It is, by far, my favorite way to send information to my iPad or iPod touch (works with iPhone, too): URLs, codes, phone numbers, anything that I need to get from my Mac to my iOS device quickly and with the minimum amount of fuss. Now I'm happy to announce that we have a special giveaway for TUAW readers. We're going to pick five winners, and each winner will receive two codes for myPhoneDesktop -- one to keep, and one to give away. Want to win a copy of myPhoneDesktop? Here are the rules: Open to legal US residents of the 50 United States and the District of Columbia who are 18 and older. To enter leave a comment on this post. The comment must be left before Sunday, February 13, 2011 at 11:59 PM Eastern Daylight Time. You may enter only once. Five winners will be selected in a random drawing. Prize: Two copies of the myPhoneDesktop app (Value: US$10). The winner may not sell the codes. Click Here for complete Official Rules.
The best Mac and iOS apps I used in 2010
Following up on my article about the best Mac apps I used in 2010, here are some of the best hybrid "Mac and iOS apps" I used in 2010. This wasn't an attempt to come up with a specific number, just the results of some careful reflection. You may wonder why some apps appear on this list instead of the Mac list. For example, Dropbox has an iOS app, why not add it here? Because my primary use of Dropbox is on the Mac. Yes I use it with iOS, but it's usually through another app that is syncing back to my Mac. On the other hand, using OmniFocus for iPad (our review) led to me using OmniFocus for Mac more, so I put OmniFocus on this list. All that is to say, these are my distinctions, and you are free to disagree with them. 1) myPhoneDesktop (or MPD) is a little-known gem of the iOS world. The US$5 universal iOS app pairs with desktop software on your Mac, Windows or Linux PC, and it allows you to send text, phone numbers and even images to your iOS device. While there are lots of pasteboard sharing apps (like Pastebot) that allow two-way sharing of pasteboard data, I find myself using MPD much more often because it is simpler and easier to use. If I am on my Mac and want to download a new app on my iPad, I select the URL from Safari and press command (⌘) + C + C (just like regular "copy" except you press "C" twice). Instantly, I get a push notification from MPD on my iPad, which opens the link, hands it off to the App Store app, and I purchase and download the app right from my iPad. Since I first reviewed it, MPD has been continually improved and updated, including support for iCab Mobile on iOS devices as well as GoodReader and even GV Connect, which means that you can place a call through Google Voice on your iPhone from a message sent from your computer! Read on for more...
myPhoneDesktop controls and sends information to your iPhone or iPad
Sometimes an app is more than an app -- it's about being excited about the underlying technology and why it makes it easier for users to get done what they want to get done, without extra steps that stand in the way. myPhoneDesktop [US$1.99] is that kind of app. It transforms the way you move data from a Mac to an iPhone, simplifying the process along the way. I tested it on an iPhone 3GS and a Mac. Imagine you are sitting at your Mac, looking at: a URL Directions on Google Maps a YouTube video of a cat vs. a lobster (well, crawfish) a phone number of someone you need to call an app in the App Store on iTunes that you want to download a picture you want on your iPhone Most of the time when I am faced with that situation I send myself an email to my "@txt.att.net" address, but that's fairly inelegant: launch mail program, copy information, type address, click send. Not only that, but when I get the message on my iPhone, then I have to manually do something with it. I also have the Pastebot app [$3] installed, but I have to make sure that's running on my iPhone before it will receive any data from my Mac. And again, it's not going to do anything with that information, it's just going to copy it. Here's how I do that with myPhoneDesktop: Select URL, text, phone number, picture Press and hold ⌘, press C twice. Boom. Off it goes over the Internet and appears on my iPhone moments later. But myPhoneDesktop can do a whole lot more than just simply sharing text. Read on for more...
