As many of you might know, I launched an iPhone app company called Portable Arts.  Our latest app is Grossinator, a total body sound machine.  Obviously, we’re not going to review it here on the site, but we would love you to help spread the word. 

We are giving away 10 promo codes to the first 10 unique ideas on how to use Grossinator to make your friends laugh.  Then video tape your ideas, and post them on YouTube for a chance to win.

I’ve heard lots of good things about iBlogger. It’s arguably the best blogging app for the iPhone. I’m thinking, if it weren’t that good, Dan wouldn’t be using it to post articles on WOiP from his iPod Touch every now and then, would he? I had always wanted to install it on my iPhone and see for myself how well it does its job, but only one thing stood in my way: the $9.99 price tag.

Hope springs eternal, though. Just a while ago I did a casual search in the App Store for "blog," scrolled through the results, and then I had to clear my eyes. iBlogger for only $0.99! iBlogger at 90% off! iBlogger on sale! Need more exclamations?

I purchased the app on the spot, somewhat fearing that the 0 in the discounted price would suddenly revert back to 9. Finally, I got to try iBlogger. It’s great! Setting up a blogging account couldn’t be easier, and blogging through it in general is a breeze. It works with a number of widely used blogging platforms, such as Blogger, TypePad and WordPress, and supports lots more. So if you’re looking for an excellent AND inexpensive blogging app to use on your iPhone or iPod touch, download iBlogger now and take advantage of this limited time offer.

iBlogger is available HERE in the App Store.

Since getting ahold of my iPhone, I have imposed an arbitrary rule to keep all the preinstalled apps in my "first" home screen and the third-party apps in the others. As you may or may not be aware of, the iPhone originally comes with a total of 19 preinstalled apps. Four of these (Text, Phone, Mail, iPod) have been sitting pretty on my bottom dock since Day 1, with the remaining 15 placed amid the great blackness that is my first home screen. A home screen, being a 4 x 4 icon space, can accommodate up to 16 apps, so there’s room for one more on my first. That left me with a decision to make: Which third-party app to place alongside the preinstalled ones so I could access it easily from anywhere in my iPhone and so it doesn’t get lost in the clutter of confusing game, entertainment and productivity apps that has come into existence in my other home screens? I say it was the easiest decision I ever made in my life. Without even thinking about it, I knew right away which third-party app I should award the distinction to. Poke! Facebook.

It goes without saying that Facebook is my favorite, most frequently used third-party app. It keeps me connected to my circle of friends, helped me make new ones, and made me believe that spending hours online is a very productive thing to do. I particularly find the app to be superbly robust, and I couldn’t agree more with Dimitri who stated in his review that the app is better than the Web site itself. And now, a recent update is set to make it way better and reinforce its position in my "exclusive" home screen.

Sometimes the best iPhone applications aren’t iPhone applications at all. This is a good example.

Now that it is possible to transfer, carry, and view PDF files on an iPhone or iPod Touch I carry a reference library worth of PDF’s with me everywhere. No, it isn’t the easiest viewing I’ve experienced, nor is navigation a large PDF’s pretty, but it does work and I like knowing that, in a pinch, I have access to some of the more important resource material I use.

One trick that’s been rather useful as been using a little Mac application called PDFShrink.  back in October I wrote a post about how much easier it is to load and navigate PDFs  once they’ve been reduced in size by the application. 

That was nice — this is better.

Just a reminder that our rapidly growing forums are a great place to share your favorite iPhone/Touch tips and tricks. (They’re also great for problem-solving and telling others about accessory deals you stumble upon.)

For example-

Our reader "Coach" has a great, simple tip for keeping your many apps organized. You can find it HERE.

Our reader "BigGuy" has a neat tip for getting to the top of a web page quickly. You can find it HERE.

Our reader "lettuce" has a great tip for syncing Google Calendar with the native calendar app. (I use this tip and love it! Thanks!) You can find it HERE.

Our reader "mrtim" has a tip to make writing on the iPhone/Touch faster. You can find it HERE.

Our reader "BigDork" has a tip for dealing with web images. You can find it HERE.

Our reader "Jaws" offers a detailed look at various email and calendar solutions. You can find it HERE.

Have a favorite iPhone trick, accessory deal, or question? Don’t keep it to yourself… share in the forums.
 

Editorial Note- One of our newest contributors — Jennifer — has been using an iPod Touch for a few months. She loves it. Thus far, however, she has had the help of her significant other, Wayne Schulz of Gear Diary. Wayne has set up her device, advised her on which applications to use, and generally has been Jennifer’s IT person for everything iPod Touch-related.

That’s all changed. Jennifer has formated her Touch and she’s all alone. She’ll have to figure out which applications to use and how best to use them, without Wayne’s help. When Jennifer does have a question she’ll have one of two options — search the Internet or… ask you.

Here’s Jennifer’s first post…

Did you recently receive an iPod Touch or iPhone? If so, I would like to invite you to join me on my latest adventure……  exploring the wonderful and somewhat confusing (to me) world of the iPod Touch.

Let me begin by introducing myself.  My name is Jennifer and I am a self proclaimed technological idiot!  I have very little knowledge of anything electronic or tech-oriented unless it is a kitchen timer or a childrens toy! I am a mom of 2 wonderful (usually) children ages 12 and 7 and the Director of an Preschool  in Connecticut.

Until last year I had a dinosaur of a pc and a very simple and free cell phone from AT&T.  About a year a go my boyfriend Wayne convinced me to buy a new cell phone and give my old one a proper burial.  I bought a fabulous pink Katana II and I do love it. It is no iPhone or smart phone but it is great for me.  Little did I know you could check email and surf the web from a cell phone, but the camera was the best surprise.
 
For Christmas last year he gave me an iPod Nano and the Nike training chip because I had set a crazy goal of running a half marathon (which I did in October). He loaded the music and the Nike info, he even tracked my training miles.  I still have no idea how to do this either. For some of you this all comes naturally and for others, like me, we struggle with it.

Here is something you can further sink your teeth into and make you salivate like a rabid monkey! Sling Media created a SlingPlayer Mobile for iPhone portal on their website. Yes, such a tease. You teaser. Stop please stop, you’re such a tease!

Just so you all know, first quarter means near end of March, which is when they are expecting to release the application to the App store. Seems like a while a way and I do hope I am so wrong and have them give us a late Christmas present! Ok, time to change my underwear.