You can access the script here. However, there is a current bug I’m dealing with – allowing a custom image for the home screen icon. For now you can only have a white image on the home page with custom text.

Notes & Credit:

I initially did a goolge search to see if anyone had accomplished this. I came across a blog posting about creating speed dial icons using your standard cell phone usage. In the comments I found someone (xfrosch/Jeff Carroll) that had achieved the same thing, except he created a script that was safer, (download here) I then altered the script by simply changing the “tel:/” to “line2:/” and renamed the file to “Line2_Speed_Dial_Script.html”

The “line2://” is the custom URL that will launch the Line2 app. I then created a small form (/Line2_Speed_Dial_Script.html) that allows an user to enter a phone number. Once this was done I was able to create a home screen icon that was able to use the Line2 app. It first launches the LIne2 app and auto dials the number, make sure you hit “END CALL” then switch back to safari & tap the “do-more-with-web-page” icon and tap on the add to home screen option. Name it what you with & viola! The problem is, having a bunch of white icons on your home screen just isn’t appealing. Using Jeff’s script & URL scheme, replacing the image file with your own works really well; however when I utilise the form, I still get the white icon

If you can figure how to get the image to appear, that’d be super cool

Paid Apps:

20Q Mind Reader – $0.99
8mm Vintage Camera – $1.99
A Noise Machine HD – $0.99
AirCoaster – $0.99
ArtRage – $1.99
Bloom HD – $3.99
Burn the Rope – $0.99
Camera+ – $0.99
Cool TextPics – $0.99 (Couldn’t find link to app )
Curtis for iPad – $9.99
Cut Cut Boom HD Pro - $0.99
Disney World Wait Times, Dining and Maps by Undercover Tourist – $3.99
FlightTrack Pro – $9.99
Grazing Web Browser – $1.99
GV Connect – $2.99
iMockups for iPad – $9.99
iMovie extras – $0.99
Invoice Robot – $2.99
iOrgel HD – $2.99
Mercury Web Browser Pro – $0.99
Noteshelf - $4.99
OffMaps 2 – $0.99
Skee-Ball HD – $2.99
Skyfire Web Browser for iPad – $4.99
studio.HD – $9.99
Texts From Last Night – $0.99
Trainyard – $0.99
Underscore Notify – $1.99

Total: $88.73
With (8.25%) tax: $96.05

Free Apps:

Airbnb
RouteBuddy Atlas
B&H Photo
Fandango
Fiverr Alerts
GroupMe for iOS
MiniBooks Lite for FreshBooks
Pocket Frogs
Restaurant Story – deleted pretty quick
RunKeeper Pro
Starbucks Mobile Card
Talkatone
Teavana
Computer Tech Support Community
Trapster
Wikipanion
wunderlist Task Companion
ZombieFarm

In-App Purchases:

Angry Birds HD – Mighty Eagle – $0.99
Texts from Last Night – Moderate $0.99

Updated Apps:

Textastic – allowed Dropbox integration
Tonido Version 2.0 (?)

Sub Total: $90.71
Total: $98.19

Most helpful:

Tonido

Most addicting to use/play:

Cut Cut Boom HD Pro – $0.99

Most productive:

FlightTrack Pro – $9.99

Most entertaining:

iOrgel HD – $2.99

Most used:

GV Connect – $2.99

Noteworthy:

AirCoaster – this app really impressed me with it’s rendering and physic capabilities.

Most Disappointing:

OffMaps2 – Compared to their first app – OffMaps they removed the ability to select an area of the map and a number of zoom levels and download it for offline use. With the second version, you have to download only cities/areas that they have available.

My 10 most used apps for January (These don’t necessarily refer t ones I bought this month & theses are not including the built-in apps)

Cube Time & Expense Tracker Pro
Osfoora
Foursquare
Notespark
AppShopper
Prowl
Goodreader HD
1Password Pro
Atomic Web Browser
GV Mobile+
TeamViewer HD

Wanda the Wonderful

BOXELDER PRODUCTIONS, LLC.

Extras casting call
Shoot dates Jan 6-11
All positions are non-paid

Film synopsis:
Wanda the Wonderful is a 1920′s era feature length “Docu-Western” about a passionate and volatile woman Wanda, who leaves her children behind to become a Wild West sharpshooter. Struggling to escape from the mistakes of her past she commits a final act of recklessness when she shoots her fourth and final husband.

Seeking non-speaking extras for the following scenes:
Vaudeville audience members – 1928 (Vaudeville performances were live acts presented in theaters before movies – so imagine theater audience)
- Seeking adult Caucasian men and women to be part of audience for vaudeville show.

- Preferred types include women with unbleached, bobbed hair, (or we can put a hat on you) men without beards, mustaches acceptable.

- shooting Thursday Jan 6, Waxahachie location

- Approx shoot time: 1-6pm

Circus audience members – 1923 – small town travelling circus in Pacific North Western coastal logging town
- Seeking adult men and women to be part of audience for small town travelling circus.

- Preferred types include women with natural, unbleached long hair, no bangs, men with or without facial hair.

- shooting Saturday Jan 7 and or 8, Dallas location

- Approx shoot time: 5-9pm

Cowboys for Wyoming brothel – 1929 – rustic bar/brothel frequented by cowboys, ranchers, sheep herders and the like.
- Seeking adult men for background extras in brothel scene.

- Preferred types include men with weather worn faces, no facial hair except for moustaches, no long hair. If you’ve got your own, worn cowboy hat, even better!

- Extras needed Monday and/or Tuesday, Jan 10,11, Dallas location

- Approx shoot time: all day (10am to 8pm). Lunch will be provided

Two Babies – newborn and 3 month old
- Newborn:

o approx 2 hour time on set

o Friday January 7, Dallas shoot location

- Three month old:

o Approx 2 hours on set

o Friday Jan 7 or Sun Jan 9, Dallas shoot location

Please submit the following information, in the body of the email (NOT as an attachment) and attach a recent headshot or photo of yourself, to the following email address:
wtwdallasshoot@gmail.com

Information sent to any other email address will not be considered.
1. Name

2. Email address

3. Phone number

4. Availability (per above dates and times)

5. Wardrobe sizes Men – height – weight – waist-inseam-jacket-shirt(sleeve/neck) shoe and hat  Women – height -weight-dress-blouse-slacks-jeans-bust-waist-hips-shoe-hat

For more information about the film, please go to the website, www.wandathewonderful.com

Thank you and we look forward to hearing from you!

Boxelder Productions, LLC
wtwdallasshoot@gmail.com

• Database creation/manager for the iPad – be capable of creating custom forms, linking databases. While there is 1 app in the app store, I’d honestly like to see some competition. I’d also like to see an accompanying sync software that would AT LEAST give the ability to backup & view (editing isn’t necessary)
• A port of the PalmOS application – Due Yesterday
• Script/Screenplay app – must have support for .celtx files and allow either “tabbing” or add a “tab” button in interface. Scripts Pro has been created with some awesome features.
• An asset/liability finance application that has the ability to add your geolocation to the entry. Why? I need something that’s quick – app would auto-magically enter the date & time of the entry, all I’d have to do is type in the total amount and tap on the “find my location” icon if I wanted to. This would allow me to come back later when I wasn’t as rushed and add more information – business name, category, etc. The geolocation would be a help, because sometimes you forget where you spent that money & it’d help you remember where you spent what.
• To be continued…

I go here way too much’

People have asked me why I go to Starbucks – it’s not because of the coffee, I mean, they have good drinks, not the best, but none the less, still good. I go because of the experience – I go because I can sit down with my computer and get some work done (or write a blog post). If I’m going for the coffee, then I usually go to other locations, if they are open. A lot, erm… the other 2 coffee shop close relatively early, Starbucks stays open till 10 or 11pm. Until Victoria, TX gets a late night coffee shop, I’m sticking to Starbucks.

I recently had someone tell me about how they were paying upwards of $55-$60 per month for their number! Um wow. I do not have a land-line nor do I plan to have one. If someone needs to get a hold of me, they call me on my cell. Simple as that. But after listening to them about why they needed a land-line, I began to to discern alternate possibilities:

1. AT&T offers a phone line monthly plan that costs around $30; it allows 25 outgoing call to be made, each one has an unlimited amount of time to it. After that, it’s $0.10/minute. It also allows for an unlimited amount of incoming calls.

2. Use Toktumi VOIP service – their plans start at $15/month for unlimited minutes. I have a 1-877 phone number with them & I only pay $15 buck per month & I don’t have to worry about anyone paying for minutes. It’s a win-win situation. Also did I mention they also allow for a virtual assistant (press 1 for… etc) and there’s always the nifty voicemail that comes with it. What I truly love about Toktumi is their ability to work with mobile phones. I have an old iPhone that sits around at home, so when someone calls in on the line, the iPhone has their Line2 app running on it and I can pick up the call on the iphone! Of course this uses the Wifi in my home. On the audio quality note, the sound is awesome (they advertise HD audio when using wifi) Now lets say you have an iphone that you are already paying for a data plan on, you could easily use their service over 3G or Wifi without using any minutes up! They even claim to be capable of porting numbers over if you want. Connection times have never been more than 5 seconds for me. It also seems that later this year they will be handling SMS services through the lines as well, which in my opinion, is above & beyond for the price. It’s much appreciated if you use the referral code: 196 34 8212

3. Use the MagicJack (VOIP) device – MagicJack is another VOIP choice. They charge you $40/year which includes the cost of the unit you purchase. This seems to be the cheapest, paid scenario, but I’ve heard mixed things about MagicJack. I’ve heard (literally heard) bad audio during a call and it wasn’t on just one occasion either. Connection times are less than 1 minute in length. One major downside I see to the magicjack is that it has to be plugged into a computer at all times and it has been on in order to work. Some strengths to this service is that it allows you to plug in land line phone into it and it comes with voicemail. You however, cannot transfer a phone number to their service… yet.

4. Google Voice – while Google Voice could potentially get you a number, it requires you to already have a phone – whether it is a cell phone or erm, land-line… essentially the number forwards the caller to your phone. It still uses your cell minutes (if applicable). If however, is free and can also handle SMS and can transcribe voice-mails. You definitely cannot transfer a number, but you will probably be able to find a number with and area code close (or even the same) as yours. More than likely everyone has heard of “Google” and because of that Google has web apps and other applications that can run natively on mobile phones. (For iPhone users, take a look at BlackSwan)

I’m sure there are many more choices, but these are ones I have personal experiences with and can’t say I’d recommend something, I’ve never used. Overall, the easiest & cheapest way to go, is with Google Voice. Once set up, you can discontinue the phone that you activated the account with and just make sure that the Google Voice account goes directly to voicemail when an user calls in on the line. If your not much for the forwarding-phone type, then I recommend the Toktumi service.  If you must have a hard-line connected and have a AOC (always-on-computer) to spare then, go with MagicJack.

Some of the cool “added feature” via the Otterbox website:

- Coating on outside of touch screen membrane resists finger prints
- Fine interior texturing of touch screen membrane eliminates static, bubbles and “oil slick” appearance
- Inner felt liner cushions your device
- Textured silicone exterior for improved grip
- Included holster holds device face in or face out
- Completely re-designed holster for stronger hold on device
- Holster doubles as a stand for hands-free media viewing
- Case accommodates most 3rd party chargers

While these feature are great, I feel that this version of the Otterbox has retrograded compared to the defender case for the iPhone 3G & 3GS.

The Protection

One of my favorite things about the Otterbox defender 3GS case, is the fact that it literally seals in the iPhone into the case and helps prevent liquid damage (I’ve dropped it in a puddle, spilled diet coke on it, etc.) The only place it isn’t sealed off – is at the speakers. However, there are foam rings around the ports to prevent debris from getting into the inside of the case.

On the new iPhone4 case, this isn’t the case, actually far from it. Is still has the plastic screen protector & the Apple-logo plastic protector. However above the screen protector, are 3 holes for the speaker, the sensors, & the front-facing camera. The sensors & the camera have plastic protectors covering them, but the speaker is not? I don’t understand this at all. Why even have the covers on the nearby sensors?
On the iPhone 3GS case, it has a type of tough paper over it that allows sound to get though, but keeps splashes from getting in. It’d make sense if they added the foam ring around it, but there’s nothing.

Looking at the bottom of the case, you can see where the speakers go, but on this case, they do not have foam rings around them. To make things worse, when removing the Sync/power port cover, you”ll notice that this is one large hole in the bottom of the case. I believe they did this in order to allow for 3rd party adapters to fit, but to me, this is a big “no no” in protecting my iPhone4

On the back of the iPhone4, both the holes in the case for the light & the camera do not have protective plastic covers. I can understand this for the light as it could cause a reflection back into the lens of the camera, but the camera? Come on! Every camera I have has some sort of protective lens on it.

Lastly, but not least, on the top of the case, where the headphone jack is, there is a silicone plug, but it has a hole it WTH? Seriously? WHY EVEN PUT A RUBBER PLUG HERE?!? I realize the hole is for the noise canceling feature on the iPhone4. I really feel like I’d be funneling dirt & debris into the inside of the case. I mean, I could just pop open the silicon plug to use that feature if I wanted to…

One of the reasons I initially got the Otterbox was because I wanted to keep from splashing water in the headphone jack (I used to use a trimmed down foam ear plug), but now it seems they have somewhat done away with it, this is super frustrating to me!

On the inside of the case, namely the back side, it is lined in a felt-like fabric to help protect the back of your iPhone4 from being scratched (honestly I recommend adding a ZAG protector to all the sides of your iPhone, except the screen (mainly because I don’t like the feel of it on my screen when it’s in it’s birthday suite.)

Holster

The holster has greatly improved in this model (thank God for something improving…) Also they redesigned it so that you can natively have the case in the horizontal position, unlike the 3GS case, which sits natively in the vertically position. Also it seems that it has a really good grip on the iPhone4 whether it is facing inwards (my preference) or outwards.

Just like in the other iPhone cases, the holster can also act as a stand, just much better so in the horizontal position (much sturdier on it’s side in this version)

Some people might remember when the iPhone 3GS Otterbox case first came out, it created a bubble/oil-like look on the screen unless you added an anti-glare screen protector to your iPhone, well this seems to have been taken care of in this version. (Yay!)

Weight

I had heard that the case was “sleeker & lightweight” compared to its predecessor. This is true, but I think they have greatly sacrificed some of the protection for the weight on the case. The silicone sleeve is dramatically thinner around the ports, however around the rest of the case it is the same as before. The thicker port covers were nice as the sealed easily even if they were partly pushed in. On this new case, the silicon is much thinner and quite hard to push into the ports for a good seal.

The “Feel”

Overall the feel of the silicone sleeve has been textured for better grip. I really like this. It’s not too much that it sticks to the inside of your pants pocket, but it feels good in your hand and gives me a little more confidence that I won’t accidentally chunk it across the room.

Overall

Even with all of these issues, I’m still slightly confident that this case can protect the iPhone4 from the occasional drop, for the clumsy, people that have need for the protection – film sets, construction sites,fire fighters, etc, this still seems to be the best case for you. I just hope they make another “more protective” case. Mind you I paid less than the retail cost (which is $49.95) for this case & I’m bummed about it. That’s not good. Not good at all.

2.5/5 stars *Gasp*

I remember checking their site a few months ago to see if they were going to have a case for the iPhone4 and a “Coming Soon” note stated something like ‘Great cases take time to design & create’- this is true. I just wish they had taken longer… I would have expected these features on the commuter case series, but the defender? Not at all, I’m not impressed. I literally looked back at the packaging to make sure I didn’t pick up the wrong case in my haste. I’m rather bummed about this case. I could be proven wrong. I guess time will tell.

What would I suggest?

The Netgear WNDR3700 WiFi router (~$170) works well. It has the added feature of allowing you to connect a USB drive to the router for network storage. Some people have claimed that using attached storage is slow – one of the common causes for being slow is that people attach a hard drive that has a “spin-down cycle” meaning the unit actually stops spinning the hard drive to conserve power. So the next time you access it, that hard drive has to spin-up before it can be accessed. One of the best ways to avoid this issue is to use a solid state hard drive of thumb-drive - a cheap alternative is to buy a $10 SD memory card reader and a decent priced SD memory card and use that.

Another option and a bit cheaper is the Netgear WNDR3300 WiFi Router (~$110) which is also a good wireless router. I’ve set up several of them without an issue. the only real complaint I’ve heard is that the blue light on the unit is bright and can be annoying if it is in a bedroom. Maybe the use of black electrical tape would work here?

What should you stay away from?

The Belkin brand. Or anything below $99.