5 iPhone/iPad Apps to Support Your Spirit

Do you feel like your days are sometimes out of control?  A to-do list that won’t quit, an overflowing inbox, and you can’t remember the last time you made it to the gym, let alone took time to meditate or write in your journal?

Instead of using your smart phone to check your email one more time, use it to take a meditation break, make a gratitude list, or check in with your inner self.  Here are five iPhone and iPad apps that will refresh your spirit and rejuvenate your outlook.

Meditator $.99

Meditator is a simple but effective meditation timer designed for iPhone or iPad. Use it for timing meditation sessions, or power nap. The app will count down and them chime at the beginning and end of a session.  You can also set intervals that are useful for doing a series of yoga poses. It has three memory settings to retain your preferences for different kinds of sessions. The best part is the chime tones – beautiful, authentic meditation sounds, including a wood flute, multiple tones of Tibetan Bowls, and a monk’s voice. It comes with several nice ones and you can purchase additional sets within the app.

iChing HD  $2.99

The iChing is an ancient Chinese book that contains a divination system accessed by reading the results of a coin toss. This version is based on the popular web-based iChing readings on iFate.com. You will be walked through a complete reading that will offer deep insight into current and future events. The app features beautiful HD graphics and animation and is designed to be simple enough for a complete beginner yet offer enough depth and complexity to keep advanced users engaged. Separate versions are available for iPhone and iPad.

Day One  $1.99

Day One is a beautiful journaling app available for iPhone, iPad and Mac Desktop. Each version has a customized layout appropriate for the device’s screen size. The app is designed for quick daily journal entries. This would be a great way to keep a gratitude journal or to capture regular everyday moments before they are lost to the busyness of life. The app can be locked with a password and syncs to iCloud or Dropbox so all of your entries are available across your devices. Entries are shown in a list or calendar view, and you can flag them or export them out of the application. Planned features in development include support of tags, photo attachments and encryption.

Awareness $3.99

With the simple question, “What are you feeling right now?” Awareness allows you to check in with your emotional landscape and empowers you to build or change your attitudes and behavior. The app will send random notifications (but won’t interrupt your iCal meetings!), asking you to log your mood and current activity. Based on your response you will be offered an inspirational quote or brief meditation. The app also creates reports so you can analyze your moods and how they correlate to various activities over time. Reviewers of the application note that it is a great help to reduce anxiety and stress. It is currently available on iPhone and iPad and an Android version is in development.

Way of Dreams $1.99

More than just a dream dictionary, Way of Dreams invites you to type in dream description and then offers an interpretation based on keywords and associations between symbols you described. Symbol definitions also contain hyperlinks so you can delve into deeper meanings. The app is based on the work of author and talk radio dream analyst Kari Hohne. The app is available for iPhone, iPad and now also on Kindle.

Visit Life Your Way to see all of the Ultimate Blog Swap participants!

Thank you Doña for those awesome app suggestions. These will fit perfectly with my Project Balance. I will be downloading these and giving them a try.

Doña Bumgarner tries to use her iPhone for good – at least when her toddler isn’t using it to play Peekaboo Barn.  She blogs at Aubergine and lives and writes in Santa Cruz, CA.

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Ultimate Blog Swap; 5 Apps To Support Your Spirit originally posted at Scraps of My Geek Life.

One of the features Comcast offers it’s customers is the XFINITY Mobile Apps for Android, iPhone, iPad and Blackberry. I am so excited about these mobile apps. I spend so much time waiting for kids, waiting for doctors, waiting in lines and now I can use some of that time to watch a few shows.

I love to watch shows that have been on for a few years that I haven’t seen yet. I can watch 4 or 5 seasons right in a row and I don’t have to wait for the next season when there is a cliffhanger.

A few weeks ago, my family and I were out for dinner and we were talking about a new TV show that we was coming on. None of us could remember when it started, so we went online to the XFINITY  TV app to check to be sure that our DVR was set up to record it. It turned out that show was in that night and we had forgotten to set our DVR to record it, so I set it up while we were sitting in the restaurant. How cool is that?

What would you like to know about Comcast? Any features you would like to hear more about? Let me know what you want to hear!

Disclosure: I receive XFINITY services in exchange for my participation in the Comcast Ambassador program. All opinions are 100% my own.

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Comcast XFINITY & Mobile Apps; Comcast Ambassador originally posted at Scraps of My Geek Life.

iHangy Keychain

iHangy Keychain

The iHangy Keychain attaches to the bottom of the iPhone where you would plug it in to charge it. The iHangy Keychain can be hung on your keychain or your belt loop. I would suggest using a screen protector with the keychain so your screen won’t get scratched.

iHangy Necklace

iHangy Necklace

The iHangy Necklace attaches the same way the keychain does, but it has a soft rubber cord that goes around your neck. The necklace has a safety feature so that if you were to get it caught on something, it won’t hang you, it would pull apart instead.

How Does It Hold Up?

Of course, my big concern was, “Will it stay connected to my iPhone?” and I am glad to report that without the case, both stayed securely connected to the iPhone. When I had my case on, the keychain stayed connected, but if I pulled enough, the Necklace would come loose. I’m assuming this is different with every case. It will depend on the depth of your case and how much room is around the connection area.

Using the stylus on the iHangy Necklace.

Includes a Touch Pen

The iHangy Necklace and iHangy Keychain include a touch pen. I thought this was a really clever use of the design. That way you always have the touch pen with you. It works really well too.

iHangy iPhone Accessories Details

The iHangy can be used on all models of the iPhone and the iPod. They can be purchased online at iHangy.com.

The iHangy Keychain comes in white and black and retails for $14.99.

The iHangy Necklace comes in pink, white, black and purple and retails for $14.99.

There are so many times I wished there was an ihangy on my iPhone. I plan to give the iHangy Necklace to my 13 yr old daughter because she often doesn’t have pockets and doesn’t carry a purse yet. I’m going to keep the iHangy Keychain for me because I often carry just my keys with me and it would be awesome to not have to carry keys & phone (keys are on a chain that goes around my neck.)

Let’s Talk About the iHangy iPhone Accessories!

What are your thoughts? How could you use an iHangy? What else could you use an iHangy for?

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iHangy iPhone Accessories Keeps Hands Free & Phone Safe originally posted at Scraps of My Geek Life.

Animoto is Easy

Here are the steps.

1. Choose video style
2. Choose the music
3. Choose the videos and pictures
4. Add text
5. Produce video
6. Wait for email letting you know it’s done

And best part? For a 30 second video, you have many free options (3 versions: lite, premium & pro.)

I know, you are thinking, “Is it really that easy?” But it is. I will walk you through each step and show you the final video. I decided to create a sample Mother’s Day gift, a personalized video since we are getting closer to Mother’s Day.

Creating a Mother’s Day Personalized Video

Step 1 – Choose Video Style

Choose the video style. For my Mother’s Day video I chose the Watercolor Seashore. Depending on which plan you have, some video styles will not be available to you.

Step 2 – Choose the Music

Animoto has a lot of choices for music that are “ok” to use, so I have never had a problem finding the right piece. You won’t need to worry about license if you choose one from their library.

I chose the song, Mother. Sounds like the perfect song for a Mother’s Day gift.

Step 3 – Choose the Videos & Photos

There are so many ways to add your videos and photos. Whether they are on your hard drive or uploaded somewhere, you can add them. You don’t have the perfect picture? Animoto has stock photos & video too.

You can even get your photos from Instagram in Animoto. This is where I put my videos and photos in the order that makes sense for the video I am creating. You can edit the length of the videos right in Animoto.

Step 4 – Add Text

You can add text before, between and after your photos. The very first slide is my text slide. This video doesn’t need a lot of text. The photos and video with the yellow behind them are highlighted in the video.

Step 5 – Product Video

Just click the green button….

and Animoto will do its magic….

Step 7 – Wait for Animoto…

to send you this email letting you know it’s done.

And here is my completed Mother’s Day gift, a personalized video. You can easily share your video on Facebook, YouTube, Flickr and many other places.

Animoto iPhone App

Animoto also has an iPhone app, so if you are on your way to your mom’s house for Mother’s Day and realize you forgot a card, whip up a quick video (not while you driving though.)

Here is my Mother’s Day personalized video in the Animoto iPhone app.

Never Gift Up Personalized Video

This is a video that I created on my iPhone using photos of me running and completing my first half marathon. I use this video for motivation.

Now wasn’t that easy? And the results are so awesome. I like to download the special videos so that I have them forever. They really are a piece of art!

Disclosure: I did receive a 3 month extension on my paid Animoto account in exchange for creating the Mother’s Day personalized video and the post. I have had an Animoto paid account for a few years and I use it all the time. All opinions are 100% my own.

Let’s Talk About Making a Personalized Video!

Go make a video at Animoto now. Just create a lite (free) account and create a quick video. Come back here and leave me a link and I want to know what your thoughts were about creating the personalized video. Was it easy?

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Mother’s Day Gift; Create a Super Easy Personalized Video With Animoto originally posted at Scraps of My Geek Life.

Best Backup System?

The best kind of backup system is the kind where you set it up and then you don’t think about it after that. If you have to remember to back it up daily or weekly, you will forget and it will keep getting pushed further back on your to do list until months have gone by.

Then one day, you will turn on the computer and nothing will happen….the hard drive is fried and all your data is gone. Think it won’t happen to you? Then I’ve got a lot in the swamps to sell you!

Carbonite Backup

But seriously, you need a system to back up your data. I was given a year of the Carbonite Home & Home Office to try. You get unlimited space to back up your data for $59/year.

Here is how easy it is.

First I signed up (you can get a 15-day trial before you pay for your year) and installed a small application on my iMac.

I told Carbonite which files to backup and then for the last week I forgot about it. I could see Carbonite in my status bar. Carbonite is the lock right next to the p for Pinterest.

I can reach Carbonite by clicking on the lock.

Today, I looked at my Carbonite account and saw all my files with the last backup completed today.

Great, I can get access to them anywhere I have access to a computer.  I love it! My files are backed up and I have access to them from almost anywhere. Then I receive this email just as I’m starting my review.

Well that is even better. I can reach my backed up files from my iPad and iPhone With Carbonite Access. What a great backup system!

So, now I have access to those files anywhere. So, what happens if I need to restore the files that are backed up? The Carbonite application has a restore section where I can get all my files back.

Honestly, the best part of Carbonite is that during the last week when my important files were being backed up, I didn’t think about it. I didn’t notice that my computer slowed down. I didn’t notice any spinning wheels or notifications that I needed to respond to. Carbonite backed up my files and I went about my business as usual.

Follow Carbonite on Facebook & Twitter. Carbonite is available for Mac & Windows.

Disclosure: I received one year free of Carbonite Home & Home Business to review the service. All opinions are 100% my own. No other compensation was received.

Let’s Talk About Your Backup System!

What backup system do you use? Have you ever lost important files? How often do you backup?

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Carbonite Backup System; Works While You Go About Your Business originally posted at Scraps of My Geek Life.

Toyota Entune Technology

My personal favorite feature of the Camry is the Entune technology which you can read about in my Entune post. Toyota has a lot of Toyota apps available for the iPad and iPhone, so be sure to check them out if you are considering a Toyota vehicle.

Our second vehicle is not a Toyota because we needed a big honkin’ car to travel with 4 kids and a dog and luggage, so I was excited to get back to a Toyota in our first car.

Camry Reliability

The Camry has been a reliable car for us in the past. My husband drives the car to and from work so we wanted something that had good gas mileage and was comfortable for him. He often drives with others in the car, so the Camry was perfect because the backseat is comfortable for adults as well as kids.

The Camry cars that we have owned in the past help up their value better than any other cars that we have owned. We never had problems trading it in or selling it depending on which path we chose.

As the gas prices go up and up, we find ourselves driving our Camry more and more. If we are taking 4 or less people in the car, we try to use the Camry instead of our SUV.

We have had the Toyota Camry for 3 months now and my husband’s only complaint is that it isn’t a convertible (and that is only on days that are at least 60 degrees.) I love driving the Toyota Camry.

Trusting My First Born to Toyota

One of the biggest reasons we chose a Toyota Camry this time was because our oldest son is now 15.5 and has his Learner’s Permit. I wanted a car that I felt comfortable with my 16 year old son driving. That’s a Toyota Camry.

Disclosure: This post is written as part of my involvement in TWIN and the Clever Girls Collective. All opinions are 100% my own. #ToyotaWomen

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2012 Toyota Camry Review #ToyotaWomen originally posted at Scraps of My Geek Life.

Toyota Apps for iPhone

Toyota Shopping Tool

This is an awesome tool to use if you are shopping for a Toyota. The best feature is the mLot Scan Vehicle option. When you are at a dealer, you can scan the tag with the VIN and get all the information about the car you are looking at. Save them for comparison. You can also find branded mobile barcodes, ToyotTags on the car which you access using this app to get access to brochures, videos and mobile websites.

Prius App for iPhone

This Toyota app gives you a 360 degree tour of the Prius along with ads, interactive activities and even games. It’s a fun way to explore the Prius. This is a game called Harmony from the app.

Yaris App for iPhone and iPad

Curious about the Yaris? Try the Yaris Toyota app which also has a few fun activities. This app is also available for the iPad.

Camry Commute App for iPhone

This Toyota app was a game at one point where you could earn real stuff. The game is over, but you can still collect points for your commute. Compare your commute with your friends on Facebook. I think it would be fun to see how much of your miles and time you spend commuting.

Backseat Driver iPhone App

This Toyota app is so cool and really not what I expected at all. It is a game which is intended for kids, but I had a lot of fun playing it. Kids drive their virtual car as if they are following behind the Toyota (which the parents are “really” driving.) You collect points as you pass real spots like restaurants, schools, shopping, etc. As you collect more points, you can customize your virtual car.

Toyota Calendar

This is a really graphically pleasing calendar. You can sync it with Google Calendar too.

Toyota 2012 iPhone App

Every year the car companies attend many regional and national auto shows. This Toyota app has all the information about the auto shows and events that Toyota will be attending in 2012.

Toyota Apps for the iPad

For the iPad, there are Toyota apps for the Yaris, Camry and many for the Prius. Here are the ones that I found the most interesting.

2012 Camry iPad App

You can explore the Camry LE both inside and out and compare it with 4 of it’s competitors.

2012 Prius C iPad App

There were 3 or 4 Toyota apps for the different models of the Prius. Here is a screen from the 2012 Prius C app. (Note the orange car!)

Prius DriveStyle iPad App

This next Toyota app for the iPad will show you how the Prius Plug-in Hybrid would fit into your life.

Prius Matchmaker iPad App

This last Toyota app for the iPad will help you choose which of the 4 models of the Prius will best fit your needs.

That is the line-up of the Toyota Apps for the iPad and iPhone. Toyota is definitely satisfying my need for everything tech!!!

Disclosure: This post is written as part of my involvement in TWIN and the Clever Girls Collective. All opinions are 100% my own. #ToyotaWomen

Let’s Talk About Toyota Apps!

Did you download any of the above Toyota apps? What are your thoughts on car companies creating apps?

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Toyota Apps For The iPad and iPhone originally posted at Scraps of My Geek Life.

My daughter and I decided to try the Minnie Mouse portable speakers. 

I tried the speakers with my iPhone. The directions were not really clear on how to use the plastic insert to fit the different MP3 player sizes, so it took a while for me to figure it out.

The iPhone fits snuggly so there is no chance of it being broken while using the speakers, which is really important for portable speakers.

We started by jamming to some Katy Perry (Firework) and the speakers are AWESOME. My husband who did sound for bands in his earlier life gave the speakers a thumbs up.

I was able to put the iPhone into the case so that I could still change the music while the iPhone was in the case.

My kids are always listening to music with their friends and I have been hesitant to let them use the speakers that we have now because I’m afraid they will knock the iPhone off the speakers and break it. With this speaker case, I do not have to worry about it.

The portable speakers are very light and water-resistant, so I can see taking this to the beach or pool too.

The portable speakers come in Minnie Mouse, Kermit the Frog, Phineas & Ferb and Jake. The retail price is $39.99. Definitely worth the $39.99! I’ve already informed my daughter that these are Mom’s speakers because I love the sound.

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Entune app on the iPhone.

Connect your phone with bluetooth or USB, download the Entune app and you are ready to go.

Toyota Camry XLE 2012 with Entune

What is Entune?

Entune is a collection of mobile apps and data services available in some Toyota vehicles. With Entune, you have access to Bing, iHeartRadio, MovieTickets.com, Open Table, Pandora & much more.

Entune Apps.

Entune comes with 3 years of access to apps and services.

What can I Do With Entune?

This is where Entune gets really exciting…. You can search for anything you are looking for with Bing and have the GPS show you how to get there.

Listen to music with Pandora or iHeartRadio.

Check what movies are playing and then buy your tickets through MovieTickets.com.

Hungry? Find a restaurant and make dinner reservations.

You can check on the traffic for your drive home. Wondering what to wear on your trip the next day? Check the weather on Entune. With fuel prices so high, we all want to get the best prices, but we don’t want to drive around wasting gas to find the best price. Entune will help you find the best fuel prices and sort the results by distance

My husband drives his Camry to and from work every day and I like that his iPhone automatically connects with the bluetooth in his Camry. If I call, he can easily answer without having to find his phone. He keeps his eyes on the road while letting me know how far he is from home.

Let’s Talk About Toyota Entune!

What kid of technology would you like to see in cars in the future?

Disclosure: This post is written as part of my involvement in TWIN and the Clever Girls Collective. All opinions are 100% my own. #ToyotaWomen

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Entune Technology Keeps You Connected In A Toyota originally posted at Scraps of My Geek Life.

Thank you to who?Comics for sponsoring this post and encouraging my child to read biographies in comic book form! Please click here to learn more about the app. And follow who? Comics on Twitter for updates!

who?Comics On The iPad

The who?Comics is an iPhone & iPad app which takes the biographies of currently popular figures and turns them into comics for your children 8 and up to read.

I have found comics a great way to get kids to read books that they normally would not find interesting. My 8-year-old never liked to read books because he gets overwhelmed by all the words and would tell himself he can’t read it before he even started reading. With comics, the words are not overwhelming and he just digs right in and starts reading.

Biography Comics for Kids

My 15-year-old son read the J.K. Rowling and Bill Gates biography comics. He had a difficult time getting into the biography comics. He loves comics, but he said they were very difficult to read and he didn’t find them interesting. He said he didn’t really remember much of what he read because they were a difficult read. He did love the timeline feature at the end of each comic.

The biography comics are from a Korean company and they are working on making the translations to english much smoother. I think that now, the comics feel very choppy and we ran into a passages in each comic where we really were not sure what they were trying to say. This is definitely still a work-in-progress.

My 12-year-old daughter started to read the J.K. Rowlings and Warren Buffet comics and after about 10 minutes she said she could not read anymore. In her defense, she generally does not like comics as much as her brothers do. She said she found the comics very difficult to read

J.K. Rowlings Biography Comics

My 8-year-old son loved the who?Comics. We read the J.K. Rowlings biography comic. I did have to sit with him and explain a lot of it to him. There were some topics that I had to explain further, such as, when J.K. Rowlings mother was sick, my son wanted to know a lot more about that. We completed the comic and he did like it a lot.

My Thoughts On who?Comics

Overall, I think the who?Comics biography comics are a good tool for kids to read about their heroes, but they need a lot of work before they are completely ready for kids.

Each one of my kids felt the comics were too long and told parts of the person’s life that they didn’t think was necessary. I would also read each comic before you let your child read them to be sure it’s appropriate for your child.

Thank you again to who? Comics for sponsoring my post. Please click here to learn more about the app. Visit who? Comics for updates. I was selected for this opportunity by the Clever Girls Collective. All opinions expressed here are my own. #CleverWhoComics #spon

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who?Comics; An Interesting Biography Comics Read For Your Kids originally posted at Scraps of My Geek Life.