(via techradar.com)

Text messaging has been around for over a decade, marketing through this new medium is a relatively new and inexpensive method. Consumers benefit because they can receive coupons or promotional codes to get great deals in the palm of their hands – no need to cut coupons! The first thing a marketer needs to do is to find a provider that will give you a subscriber list and send out you ads.

Major League Baseball is taking advantage of this to the fullest. Once you register and enter your favorite MLB team, you can receive team alerts, scores, injury and trade updates, trivia, all-star balloting, and much more! The idea is to bring fans and MLB closer – and it only costs the user $3.99/ month. An enormous number of other companies are integrating SMS marketing into there strategy as well including, Orbitz, Champs, and Twitter, and local companies near you!

Is this a short-lived marketing strategy or a highway to success? We would love to hear your opinions!

Also, for Colorado companies, we have a wonderful local provider for double opt-in text messaging providers! Give us a call 303-834-7718

The new Apple TV is also very environmentally friendly. Barely leaving a footprint, the amazingly energy efficient product uses less power than your night light! Now that’s Green! This he affordable, tiny, and innovated Apple TV is revolutionizing the way we watch TV!

The first news was the announcement of the iOS 4.1, the latest version of their mobile operating system. This update includes fixes for bugs in the proximity sensor and for slowness on the iPhone 3G and a new HDR camera feature.

The focus of this update is Game Center, which features matchmaking, achievements, leader boards, friend lists and more. Apple has already provided developers with APIs to work into their games. Users will be able to track their games and friends next week with the release of iOS 4.1

The iPad is also getting a new operating system. The first version of iOS 4 for the iPad is iOS 4.2 and will be available in November. This update includes all the improvements over iOS 3 (folders, multitasking, etc.) but also includes wireless printing and a feature called “AirPlay” that will allow you to stream music and video from your computer to your iPad at home. iOS 4.2 should be available in November.

Next, Steve Jobs introduced a new iPod Shuffle, Nano and Touch. The new Shuffle is about the size of a US Quarter. This version brings back buttons and is closest in form-factor to the second-generation iPod Shuffles. This 2GB iPod will set you back $49.

The iPod Nano had a drastic change in form-factor. Looking more like a miniature iPod Touch, the Nano is about double the size of the new Shuffle and uses a scaled-down version of the iOS on a small square multi-touch screen. The Nano is $149 for 8GB and $179 for 16GB.

The new iPod Touch has the new retina display, A4 chip, Gyroscope, and front and rear facing cameras from the iPhone 4. FaceTime will work with iPod Touches and iPhone 4s over WiFi. The iPod Touch will be available next week and will be $229 for 8GB, $299 for 32GB and $399 for 64GB.

Steve Jobs then introduced iTunes 10. He first introduced the new logo, a music note on a blue circle. Steve expressed that the CDs on the old logo were no longer relevant because so few people use them anymore.

The biggest feature of the new iTunes is Ping, a new social network. After setting up a profile users can see and share what music they like, are playing and are buying from iTunes. Available on the iPods as well, Ping also gives users a Top 10 of what your friends like the most.

The last news of the day was about one of Apple’s least-known products: the Apple TV. Shedding the internal hard drive and dropping to a $99 price tag, the Apple TV now focuses exclusively on streaming content. With Netflix support and new content deals that make HD movie rentals $4.99 and HD TV episodes 99¢.

So the big question most people might have is, should I buy one? Here’s the main list of main changes:

• Completely new packaging style! Following in the footsteps of the unibody Macbooks, the new phone is designed to be a sandwich of two pieces of ultra-strong glass with a unibody-style metal band holding them together. It’s thinner by a decent margin and feels denser and higher quality.
• Better reception! The steel band sandwiching the glass acts as antennae improving reception over the 3GS and resulting in fewer dropped calls.
• Better display! The Retina display is an ultra-dense display resulting in gorgeous renderings (Apple claims human eyes cannot distinguish between pixels, hence the Retina name).
• Front-facing camera and Face Time! This isn’t new technology, but Apple hasn’t been known for extreme innovation of new features; what they do is polish those features and bring them to the masses. Anyone who has used video chat while lugging around a heavy laptop should appreciate this technology packaged right into their cell phone.
• Improved rear-facing camera! This is a full 5 Megapixel sensor now, and while it won’t replace your high end DSLR, the image quality you can get from something that’s always in your pocket anyways is incredible. You can even record in 720p (high def video) at 30fps. It’s not perfect, there is still a bit of Jellyvision when moving quickly, but overall incredible quality from a phone.

Want to learn more?

Engadget has put the iPhone 4 through its paces, and while the site sometimes seems to favor Apple products, it was not shy in admitting this:

…the iPhone 4 is the best smartphone on the market right now…

What now?

Need help migrating to your new iPhone or learning more about the new features? Give us a call today at 303-304-9507.

http://www.pcworld.com/article/194735/52_incredibly_useful_sites_the_full_list.html

They’ve got stuff in the categories of Business, Communication, Dining, Filing and Storage, Media, Productivity, Shopping and Travel. A great resource if you’re looking for a site to get a little bit more done with the same resources…

Gotta love technology and the ability to productively kill a few minute that would otherwise be wasted.

Gorillacam camera app for iPhone – http://ow.ly/16PDn

Here’s some info from the website:

NEW 4X Digital Zoom lets you frame your shot exactly how you want it. Customize where your zoom bar is placed for the perfect feel.

NEW Anti-shake takes pictures when your phone is steady, helping you get blur-free photos.

Self-timer takes timed photos. Perfect for group shots and self-portraits. Works best with the help of the Gorillamobile for 3G/3GS.

Time-lapse takes multiple photos spaced at an interval. Take photos as fast as 1 second apart, or up to 2 minutes apart.

Unlimited rapid-fire takes up to 1.6 photos per second. Just press and hold the shutter to take as many photos as you want at super high speed.

Auto-save lets you keep shooting while your photos save in the background. No more waiting between shots. Snap away, uninterrupted.

3-Shot burst takes three quick photographs with one tap. Never miss a second of the action. Plus, no more photos ruined when someone blinks!

Press anywhere turns the whole screen into the shutter button. Photograph yourself with ease!

Grid overlay takes your photography to the next level. Create more interesting photographs using the rule of thirds in your composition. Also great for lining up horizons or buildings.

Bubble level takes steady, level shots every time. Works both vertically and horizontally. Great for shots of horizons, landscapes and more.