iPad By Davis: “Chevrolet MyLink brings TuneIn Radio and Siri to the car” plus 7 more

Chevrolet MyLink brings TuneIn Radio and Siri to the car
Best iPhone invoicing app for freelancers
NSNorth kicks off in Ottawa on April 19
iMore Editors' Choice: IMDb, Noble Nutlings, Doctor Who Encyclopedia, and more
Best Free iPad App of the Week: izik – Tablet-Optimized Search
1Password for iPad Updated: New Direct Sync Beta and More
olloclip at CES 2013 gallery: more devices, more possibilities
Firecore updates aTV Flash for the Apple TV, now includes TV Playlists and more

Chevrolet MyLink brings TuneIn Radio and Siri to the car

Posted: 12 Jan 2013 05:02 PM PST

At CES 2013, Chevrolet was showing off Siri and TuneIn Radio apps working in their 2013 Spark and Sonic vehicles. All of the features you would expect are there, such as dictating messages to Siri and checking calendar appointments via voice. Of course, GM wants to make sure nobody's messing around with their phone while behind the wheel, so they lock down the TuneIn Radio app on iPhone when plugged in and connected to the car, and similarly, Siri will deny certain requests which would require more detailed viewing, such as anything that results in opening the browser. The Wi-Fi connection was pretty spotty at the show, so it was hard to get a bead on exactly how well the whole system would work on the road.

Though that's cool and all, the bigger story here is that GM is opening up their development environment with an SDK, enabling those in the iOS space to make new apps for Chevy cars. The general impression I got from their app ecosystem is that for now GM will be building the platform as something that's separate from traditional mobile apps with the occasional tie-in. Siri is obviously the exception to that rule, but everything else was merely using the smartphone as a hotspot for data access. That's too bad, because there's a ton of potential in tying mobile and automotive app ecosystems, akin to what Ford's doing with AppLink, but GM promises that they'll have APIs available for remote functions in late 2013. Those APIs includes starting the car, checking on vehicle diagnostics, and accessing location-based data. Previously, these kinds of functions were only opened up to select partners through the OnStar console. Apps for GM cars are built on HTML5, so at least iOS devs that lean heavily on it can port easily, and even those that don't should be able to cook something up quickly.

How many of you guys have an in-car smart dash system? Should the app ecosystems overlap in functions or exist separately? Developers that are interested in getting started with GM's system can get started over here.

Best iPhone invoicing app for freelancers

Posted: 12 Jan 2013 02:12 PM PST

Best freelance invoicing app for iPhone

If you work freelance in any capacity, at any profession, keeping track of billable hours and being able to generate and deliver invoices is vital to your income and business. Luckily, if you have an iPhone, the App Store has a number of invoicing apps ideal for freelances.

We've taken a look at quite a few of the most prominent and most popular invoicing apps available in the App Store, free and paid. We've created invoices, estimates, and set up inventories, all to figure out which iPhone app is the best all-around solution for freelancers.

Our choice is Invoice2go by Apps2go, and here's why we picked it over the others...

User interface

Invoice2go has a streamline interface that focuses around the items you create on a regular basis. The main screen upon launching Invoice2go gives you quick access to document creation. The four featured items are invoice, estimate, purchase order, and credit memo. To create any one of these items you can simply tap on it and you'll be taken to the corresponding creation section.

The remainder of Invoice2go is tab driven with a menu along the bottom. Aside from the main home menu you've got a tab for folders, products, clients, and settings. Invoice2go allows you to create multiple folders under the folders tab in order to allow you to better organize client data. At this time, it doesn't appear that you can create your own folders but the default ones do give you quick access when it come to jumping around to different data sets.

The products tab is unique to Invoice2go and really sets it apart from most other invoice apps such as Zoho, Freshbooks, and Timewerks. The main difference is that you can set up and manage custom products that you can then quickly add to invoices. While some of the other invoicing apps offer inventory or product options, they aren't as clean and well laid out as Invoice2go is. The options you need are where they need to be and easily accessible. Some of the other invoicing apps we took a look at only allowed you to create items inside invoices and not on their own. Anyone who needs to add the same items to an invoice continuously would grow tired of having to add them manually.

The last tab aside from the settings tab is the clients tab. This is where you can add clients and edit their details. You can also pull contacts from your default Contacts app or add contacts within Invoice2go to your Contacts app which is a nice add-on.

The last tab is the settings tab which allows you to enable Cloud2go syncing, custom templates, logos, styles, discounts, and more. Under general options you can also edit some of the settings for line items that appear on your invoices. Some of these include enabling or disabling quantity and rate columns, shipping fields, and product codes. If none of your invoices ever deal with shipping, you can simply turn it off so a field for it doesn't show up when creating an invoice.

When comparing the interface of Invoice2go to other apps such as Timewerks and Zoho, there wasn't any contest. Certain invoicing apps we looked at had confusing fields and input methods that just couldn't stand up to the ease of use that Invoice2go offers.

Creating invoices & estimates

To create an invoice within Invoice2go you can tap on the Invoice button from the home menu. You can choose the customer name or set up a new customer if they aren't already set up in Invoice2go. As you add items to the invoice it will automatically calculate at the tax rate you've set up. You can also enter shipping information where shipping charges are applicable as long as you have shipping turned on within settings.

Estimates are done almost the exact same way. The only difference is that it won't show that the client owes you money unless you choose to set it up as an invoice as a later date. It's a nice way to show a customer pricing without actually having to send an invoice.

When it comes time to send an invoice, you can customize them or choose from one of the default templates that Invoice2go offers. In order to create a customized template you can simply hop onto Invoice2go's website and create one with your own logo and text. Their default editor works well and will do what most people need it to.

After you send an invoice to a client with Invoice2go they'll receive a PDF version. That invoice will now automatically show up in your unpaid section of Invoice2go until you mark it as paid.

When it comes to template choices, customization, and sending invoices, some other invoicing apps offer just as many generic templates but we found Invoice2go to be the most customizable from a usability standpoint. No one wants to spend lots of time customizing an invoice or have to pay in order to do so. Invoice2go lets you do this in just seconds.

Product & inventory management

The product management features of Invoice2go is what really sold us on Invoice2go. Creating products within the app or using their online product adder is super simple. Once you've got all your products and SKUs put in, you can easily add them to invoices and estimates with a single tap. This will be important to anyone who sells product or has items that they invoice for frequently.

If you already have SKUs set up in an inventory system, it takes a little time to transfer them over to Invoice2go manually but it's worth the effort so you can easily pair sales and products with your accounting software or inventorying system.

It is worth pointing out that Invoice2go is not meant to be an inventory system replacement. The products section is meant to be a convenience when creating an invoice but it does not give you a way to track products and what you have in inventory. I have found it easy to just print out any invoices I've sent out in order to pair with inventory and subtract and add where needed.

Certain apps such as Zoho also allow you to add items but most only let you enter an item name and description. Invoice2go takes it one step further and lets you create item codes, or SKUs. Anyone who has an automated inventory system will greatly appreciate the ability to easily match transactions with their corresponding items.

Cross-platform support and syncing

If multiple users need to access invoicing data but they're on different platforms, that can sometimes become an issue. Invoice2go aims to solve that by offering a plethora of apps across several platforms. Apps2go currently has versions of Invoice2go for iOS, Android, Mac, and PC.

The whole Apps2go suite of products also offers Cloud2go syncing which allows you to easily sync all your data between devices seamlessly and over the air. If you've got users on multiple platforms or you use different devices to manage your data, Cloud2go is a must have. There is no limitation on what users can use it either. All accounts, even the free version, will come with 5MB of storage by default.

Pricing

We took a look at several different invoicing apps and we found lots of them. Everything from free to super expensive options are available. In this case, you get what you pay for. Many of the free options weren't that great or were super skimmed down versions of Invoice2go. That also doesn't mean that the most expensive option is the best. There were invoicing apps available in the App Store that far exceeded the price of Invoice2go but we just didn't find the value like we did with Invoice2go.

You can get started with Invoice2go for $9.99. This will get you the native iPhone version. For $14.99 more you can also pick up the full iPad version. The initial app purchases are all you need in order to get started. The trial version isn't timed but will only allow you to create three documents. This can be an assortment of invoices, estimates, and purchase orders. After that, you'll be asked to upgrade.

The starter plan is $49 a year and gives you access to all the features of Invoice2go. Once you reach 100 invoices in a year, you'll have to move up to another plan. If you don't think you'll create more than 100 invoices a year, the starter plan should be find.

Invoice2go also has pro and enterprise plans that are priced at $99 and $149 respectively. The difference between the two is the amount of users. With the pro plan, you get unlimited document creation and access to all of Apps2Go's suite of products but you're limited to one user. The enterprise plan gives you everything the pro plan does but allows you access for 5 users.

In our opinion, Invoice2go itself is worth every penny just for the service itself. The fact that pro and enterprise plan also gives you access to all the other Apps2go products is a no brainer. Apps2go really has a great suite of products including scan, sign, map, calendar, and scheduling apps. If you're looking for an entire ecosystem, Apps2go will provide just that.

The bottom line

Having a professional presence, even if you're a freelancer, is crucial to running and sustaining a successful business. Part of that is invoicing clients on time and having a way to track who owes you money. Invoice2go allows you to not only send professional looking invoices to your clients, but customize them to your liking.

From a back-end standpoint, Invoice2go is the best option for a small business with a few employees that need access to the same data. Cloud2go and Apps2go's other premium productivity apps make it the best possible choice for freelancers looking for a great invoicing solution while on the go.

$9.99 - iPhone version - Download Now
$14.99 - iPad version - Download Now

NSNorth kicks off in Ottawa on April 19

Posted: 12 Jan 2013 01:29 PM PST

NSNorth kicks off in Ottawa on April 19

NSNorth is a new iOS and Mac-centric conference taking place in Ottawa, Ontario from April April 19-21. Aimed at app creators, it it features a delightful, single session track of industry experts and platform luminaries. It's being run by Dan Byers and Philippe Casgrain of Sparked Insight. Here's the pitch they've posted on NSNorth:

Over the past few years, Apple has revolutionized how people use technology. App developers have access to an exciting ecosystem that continues to grow at an enormous rate. More than ever, we as designers, developers, and business leaders have the tools available to change the world.

Our goal is to bring together experts in a variety of important topics for three days to broaden your horizons, make you think differently, network with fellow devs and designers all while having a great time.

Speakers include Rob Rhyne, Gus Mueller, Justin Miller, Guy English -- yeah, that one, Joe Cieplinski, Luc Vandal, Caroline Sauve, Rick Fillion, Jason Brennan, and Sam Vermette

Canada routinely punches above its weight when it comes to the skills and talents of the Mac and iOS developers living inside its borders. (It's cold, programming and designing keeps the mind busy and fingers warm, you figure it out.) So, it's great to see more Apple-centric conferences popping up on this side of The Wall. Networking leads to new connections, new ideas, and new opportunities.

Registration is open now, so if you're in the area or can get there, check it out.

More: NSNorth

iMore Editors' Choice: IMDb, Noble Nutlings, Doctor Who Encyclopedia, and more

Posted: 12 Jan 2013 11:51 AM PST

iMore Editors' Choice: IMBD, Noble Nutlings, Doctor Who Encyclopedia, and more

Every week, the editors and writers at iMore carefully select some of our favorite, most useful, most extraordinary apps, accessories, gadgets, and websites. This week's selections include a couple games, an app that pulls up information about movies and television shows, an iBook about productivity, customer relations, and general business best practices, something for Doctor Who fans, and an app for Wikipedia.

IMDb - Chris Oldroyd

This week I have chosen an old app but one of the very best. In my quest to catalogue my huge movie and TV show collection I have been looking for an app that can do just that. All I want is a list of my movies with write ups about the plot and a link to a trailer. There are a few good apps out there but they all seem to fail somewhere for me.

Another interesting aspect in my search was that the standard place where all of these apps pull their meta data from was IMDb, so I thought why not go to the source and see if that can do what I want and sure enough it can. I created a personal list after creating an IMDb account and started the huge job of adding my movies to that list.

I am now about halfway through cataloguing my collection but it is perfect now. The information that IMDb provides is awesome, I can scroll through my collection on my iPhone, iPad or online and it's all in sync and I can see who is in the film and so much more. The trailer for the movie is just a click away and it makes choosing a movie to watch a perfect experience now.

I know IMDb has been chosen before but it deserves another mention now, if you love movies you will love the IMDb apps.

Free - IMDB

Blueprint 3D - Ally Kazmucha

Blueprint 3D isn't in any way an advanced game but it's definitely a very cool one. The premise is that you import images or use existing ones in the app to unscramble what looks to be a lump of lines and clutter. You're essentially creating a blueprint of the underlying image. Once you've gotten it just right, the image reveals itself.

If you get stuck on a level or can't seem to get an image just right, you can tap the auto-solve button to see the solution. The best part is that you can use your own images and create blueprints of them which you can then save to your camera roll. While it isn't the most advanced game in the world, it's definitely great for killing time. If you like easier puzzle games, Blueprint 3D is definitely worth a look.

Free - Download Now

Frictionless Freelancing - Rene Ritchie

Aaron Mahnke is a talented writer, designer, and podcaster who's not only figured out a thing or two about working freelance, but has figured out a way to concisely encapsulate what's he's learned into an understandable, relatable, actionable plan for others. Frictionless Freelancing is his Mahnke's new iBook, available for both iPhone and iPad, and in it he shares his methods for improving productivity, customer relations, and general business best practices.

If you're smart and savvy, you can figure a lot of this kind of stuff out on your own, but the cost in time and mistakes made will be far, far, far more than the cost of a book and the experience shared there in. You can find out more about Mahnke and his book at Frictionless Books and you can grab a copy of your own via the iBookstore.

$13.99 - Download now

Doctor Who Encyclopedia - Chris Parsons

Are you a Doctor Who fan? If so, I've got an app you must add to your collection. The Doctor Who Encyclopedia. With over 3,000 entries the Doctor Who encyclopedia is a one stop shop for information. Interactive portals on all the characters, galleries of imagery and a complete list of available episodes on iTunes round the beautifully designed app. Recent updates to the app include support for the iPad mini and the removal of in-app purchases unlocking even more content for owners. It's a bit on the high priced side but it's a growing app with content continuously being added. Allons-y!

$6.99 -Download now

Wikipanion Plus for iPad - Joseph Keller

Wikipanion Plus for iPad is a great app for anyone that uses not just Wikipedia, but multiple wikis. There are wikis for everything under the sun, from Apple to Battlestar Galactica, and Wikipanion Plus let's you access them all in one app. In addition to that, Wikipanion Plus allows you to queue articles for more organized reading as well as save them for faster access and offline reading. It's not the prettiest app, but content from all sources is well laid-out, and it's hard to beat access to content from all of those sources. Wikipanion Plus for iPad is available for $4.99, but if you want to try before you buy, there is a free version as well that lacks features like the queue.

$4.99 - Download Now

Noble Nutlings - Leanna Lofte

Noble Nutlings is a new, fun little game by the ex-Rovio/Angry Birds team where you build your dream car and drive it through each level while collecting nuts, doing tricks, and boosting into big jumps. To control you cart while it's in the air, you tilt your device, or you can use buttons (something I recommend if you're using an iPad). Syncing between devices isn't ideal, but you can do so if you connect to Facebook. Connecting to Facebook will also allow you to play with your friends and compare scores.

Noble Nutlings really is a great little game... especially since it's free!

Free - Download now

Your choice?

Now that we've chosen our favorites for the week, we want to hear yours! Did you pick up a killer app, accessory, or game this week? Let us know in the comments below!

Best Free iPad App of the Week: izik – Tablet-Optimized Search

Posted: 12 Jan 2013 10:19 AM PST

One of the best things about using an iPad is all the great apps that we can run on it. There are excellent apps for just about any purpose you can think of. Better still, there are lots of great free apps for the iPad. Our Best Free iPad App of the Week posts highlight [...]