Best Free Apps for Kids - iPhone, iPod Touch, iPad, Android: June 2009

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06/21/2009

How to Copy and Paste on iPhone

iPhone OS 3.0 Software update introduced many cool features. Probably the highly anticipated cut, copy, paste functionality makes the top of the list. If you have not upgraded to 3.0 already, you can do so by plugging your iPhone to your computer, going to iTunes, selecting your device from the left menu, and pressing on "Check of an Update" button in your Summary screen. If you have iPhone 3G S, you do not need to upgrade to use this functionality.

Above is a video clip that demonstrates how to use copy and paste functionality. For this, first go to any text box, in Safari, mail, or any other application. Press and hold on the text you would like to copy and release your finger. You will be presented with three options: Select, Select All, and Paste. Choose "Select" and you will see that the word will be highlighted with two blue dots on the either side of the word. Notice that the options are changed to Cut, Copy, and Paste. Now you can either press and drag the blue dots to refine your selection and then select Copy, or directly select Copy without refinement.

Now the selection is in the clipboard. You can go to another text field and even another application and press&hold&release on a text field, and select Paste.

Did this work for you, do you have other tips to share? Drop us a comment and tell us what you think.

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How to Use iPhone Voice Command on iPhone 3GS

iPhone 3G S supports voice control for dialing a number and playing music. This is pretty important to us parents especially when we are taking multitasking to new levels. Below is a video clip that shows how to make a call using voice dial. To initiate this you need to press and hold on the Home button, and say a command, such as "call Mike".

I first thought this is a software upgrade and it will work on my iPhone 3G with OS 3.0 update, but it did not work. You need to have iPhone 3G S to use this.

Voice command supports many languages, including the ones listed below. To modify the language settings go to Settings > General > International > Voice Control

Chinese (Cantonese)
Chinese (China)
Chinese (Taiwan)
Dutch
English (UK)
English (US)
Finnish
French (Canada)
French (France)
German
Italian
Japanese
Korean
Norwegian
Polish
Portuguese (Brazil)
Portuguese (Portugal)
Russian
Spanish (Mexico)
Spanish (Spain)
Swedish

Did you try the Voice Commands? Did it work for you? Drop us a comment.

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How to Search Apps on iPhone

I have 80+ apps on my iPhone and finding anything is becoming pretty difficult. That is why I really like the new search functionality. Below is a video clip that shows how to perform search on the iPhone. For this, when you are on your first screen, try going to the left and Search Screen will show up. Alternatively you can press on the home button once and access to the Search Screen. Start typing and you will be presented with matching contacts, songs, movies, apps, etc. Just tap on the one you were searching in order to launch it.

Note that to use this easily accessible search function, you need to upgrade to OS 3.0 on your iPhone. You can upgrade simply by going to iTunes, plugging in your iPhone, selecting your iPhone on iTunes and clicking on the "Check for an Update" button.

Did this work for you, do you have other tips to share? Drop us a comment and tell us what you think.

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06/20/2009

The Youngest iPod Touch Owner

We get a lot of raised eyebrows when we mention our little kid owns an iPod Touch and loves it. Nevertheless, when I talk to an iPhone owner with a little kid, we are exactly on the same page! They are equally excited about the all applications available for kids on iTouch and we can go on and on about the possibilities.

But still I wonder, how young is too young to get a kid iPod Touch? When we were purchasing a new iPhone 3GS, Apple sales guy mentioned that he sells iTouch to 1 year old kids! And I am not talking about a one year old playing with his dad's or mom's iPhone once in a while, this is one year old actually owning his/her own device.

Would I get my one year old an iPod Touch? Hmmm. I do not think so, but I'll be open minded. I guess it is a parent and iPhone thing. The rest of the world does not understand, at least for now : )

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How iPhone 3GS Compares to iPhone 3G and is it Worth Upgrading?

We purchased an iPhone 3G S for my husband as soon as it came out. The new iPhone is awesome! But I am still undecided about upgrading my iPhone 3G to 3G S. Here are some pros and cons:

Pros:

Improved camera: The capture resolution is now 3MPixel and the new camera capture comes with auto-focus. It also has a nifty feature where you can tap on the screen to focus on different objects.
Video capture: As a parent, I would say this is the most important upgrade from iPhone 3G to iPhone 3G S. Video capture quality is pretty impressive for a mobile phone (VGA and 30fps) and the "Send to Youtube" option is great for easy upload.
Speed: The CPU of iPhone 3G S ( S stands for speed ). The speed went from 412 MHz to 600MHz and the RAM is doubled. Applications do noticeably start and run faster. Also the graphics chip is replaced with a more powerful one. This means better, faster graphics on games and applications.
Compass: This is a small addition but especially useful when discovering new places on foot. I use the iPhone GPS mostly when I am walking and use my car's GPS when driving. So compass feature is something that I would find useful.

Cons:

Cost: This is the most important reason for not upgrading from iPhone 3G to 3GS. If you are with AT&T already and you are not qualified for a discounted upgrade, it will cost you $299 for the 8GB, $399 for 16 GB, and $499 for the 32 GB to upgrade to iPhone 3G S. In addition, you will need to pay $18 upgrade fee. In contrast, if you are signing up for a new contract, you will need to pay $199 for the 16GB iPhone and $299 for the 32GB version.

I heard from an Apple sales guy that if you bought your iPhone 3G when it first came out in the summer of 2008, you are available for a reduced-price upgrade. He did not know the specific details but mentioned that you can go to the AT&T buy iPhone website and see if you qualify.

AT&T contract renew: You need to renew your 2-year contract with AT&T. When Apple's agreement ends with AT&T, I am hoping that iPhone will be available from Verizon as well. If I upgrade now, I will need to be with AT&T for another two years. AT&T's service and coverage has improved greatly in the last year, but still it would be good to have the option to switch carriers.

Another pro or a con - depending on how you look at it- is that the new iPhone looks exactly the same (except for letter S at the back) as iPhone 3G. It is a con if you were wanting a new look, perhaps a thinner iPhone. It is a pro because your case and other accessories will still fit to the new iPhone 3G S.

Also, note that you will be able to get many new features, such as the copy-paste functionality, landscape keyboard, etc, by simply upgrading the software on your iPhone 3G.

Verdict: I will not upgrade to iPhone 3G S - at least for now.

Did you buy iPhone 3G S or are you considering upgrading? Drop us a comment and tell us what you think.

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06/17/2009

Best iPhone Story Book Apps

There is nothing like cuddling up with your children in front of a fireplace with a story book and reading it together. Even though an iPhone story book app cannot replace the real thing, they are really fun in their own right. These iPhone/iPod touch apps are interactive, fun, have great audio and visual effects and unlike a TV program I can still cuddle up with my son when we are reading these story books, enjoy flipping pages and the little animations together.

When iPhone first came out, I searched and searched for good story book apps and there were none. In the last few months we have found 3 of them that we really liked. Here are the reviews and video clips.

Wheels on the Bus
Cost: $0.99
Age: 1 year and up
This fun story book allows interaction with the bus and people on the bus by using gestures. The music is catchy and good to sing along with. More reviews and details here.

Little Bella's - I close my eyes
Cost: $3.99
Age: 1 year and up
This is my favorite iPhone story book, because the graphics are just amazing and my kid loves the story line. The only downside is that it is a bit pricey at $3.99. More reviews and download here.

Little Red Hen
Cost: $0.99
Age: 1 year and up
The story line and animations are quite fun. The story line is long, so you can enjoy cuddling up with your kid longer. Reviews and details are here.