The iPod Touch is here to make life easier. Its easy to get carried away and dive in without thinking through what you're really doing. 

I was really excited about the Squarespace iPhone application, because its the blogging platform that I use, and it streamlines the process of getting the images to my blog post. In the past, I would email the images to myself, download then, them draft my blog on using the Squarespace website. 

This system was streamlined when I began just posting images directly from my iPod. Unfortunately, the names of the files in my iPod are all named photo.jpg. They only get renamed when I download them, then they become photo-1.jpg, photo-2.jpg, etc. 

This is a problem because I have to rename the files when I upload them, or they will conflict with other files that have the same name. Squarespace deals with this by just taking the newest image and replacing every blog post referencing that image with the new image. I got into some trouble blogging about CES with this, and now I have to go back through the blog and replace all occurences of Photo-5.jpg. :-<

Part of why this is still an experiment is because until very recently I still could not say with certainty what the name is of the files while they are on the iPod. Since the full data capability of the Bluetooth is not enabled, I  cannot browse my iPod like a hard drive. I did a test to see what would happened when I blogged from my iPod Touch without having to download the file, a process that renames it.

I discovered a folder called post_images in my Squarespace storage. This is where the squarespace app posts the images that I upload from my iPod Touch using the Squarespace iPhone application. Its cool that it does have a unique name, but if you're not paying attention and you just upload your screengrabs that you emailed yourself, then you'll have redundant file names. It would be nice if Squarespace informed you of this when you upload the photo. But it doesn't. :-(

Not to mention, there is the issue of what to do with those landscape-formatted images. Fortunately, I found an app called Photoflipper, but if I am renaming them for example to keep them organized, I open all the photos at once after I've used the mutliple photo email tool. I use the Apple + L to rotate them all to the left, Apple W to close, then they all get rotated and saved all at once! I can now rename them, and upload them using the Sqaurespace web app from my Macbook Pro laptop.

The problem with uploading from your iPod Touch is that you can't go into your storage folder to see what files you have in there like you can with the iPod Touch app. What about when you have to delete or modify a file? How are you going to find it? 

Granted, you could make a folder in your Squarespace server in order to upload the files there, and avoid some naming conflicts, but if you move the files out of whereever you downloaded them in the process of downloading (something I often do in groups of 5, since this is the limit that the iPod Touch lets me send at a time) then your photos will continue to be named photo.jpg, photo-1.jpg, photo-2.jpg, and it continues this pattern every time you begin to download photos to a given folder. 

Blogging from the iPod Touch is relatively safe, you get unique filenames (I checked by logging into my Squarespace account on the web), and if you use Photo Flipper you can have a pretty easy time with it. You can view or modify files, create widgets, or any of the other features on the Squarespace blogging platform.

Now that I've ironed out the wrinkles, I think I'll try doing some more posts from the Squarespace app. I'll let you know if I have any more problems!

-iPod Grrl

As productive as the iPod Touch makes me, there's times when I pick it up and I want it to bring the world to me. Somehow, Twitter, Text for Free, and other apps I use to connect with people just aren't hitting the spot.

I found an app that works at any hour of the night or day to show me the world in a new way. I wasn't sure what the Smule Zephyr app did when I first opened it. I just poked around to see what would happen. 

When you touch or drag, the application responds by making these little snowflakes appear wherever you're touching. That's kinda cool. Even better, these really pleasant high-pitched notes happen at the same time that you touch and drag.  

I noticed that there are other people in the world playing with the app too, you see a big map of the world and what the different people are doing with it. One of the users was writing things out in the app! That's a cool way to use the program! I thought. 

While I'm still not sure what is the right way to use the application, I think its safe to say that there's no wrong way to use the Smule Zephyr app. I made sure to leave my mark, and will definitely know what app to check out next time I'm feeling like I need some instant gratification! 

-iPod Grrl 

I've gone to a few Macworlds in my day, but in recent years its been important for me to attend because of what has and will be changing. 

Its interesting to see how its different from year to year, and the various effects that have an impact on the attendance and overall mood of the show. 

Previous years I've been doing a mixture of networking, checking out products, and work. This Macworld will be different for me because its the first time I've attempted to register as press.

IDG, the company that runs Macworld, has got a special iPad event and several influential bloggers and podcasters as speakers. I'll be attending the iPad event and as many of the presentations as possible, and will blog whenever I have a chance and access to wifi.

This will be my first year filming for my own podcast on the show floor as well - in the past I have helped with filming other podcasts, but this time, I'll be out there promoting my show and taping reviews and short interviews with podcasters and other interesting figures in the Mac community.

I know that I'm going to run out of time and there's no way to tell what's going to happen, so you'll have to stay tuned to see what happens to iPod Grrl as she reunites with old friends and connects with new ones.

-iPod Grrl

 I get a lot of tech news on social networking sites, so when I was scanning the other day I came across some news about VOIP. Everyone seems to be distracted with the iPad, so not that much news was to be found about the restrictions that were lifted from the iPhone SDK with regard to VOIP.

I was definitely intrigued so the first chance I had I visited the mobile site for Google Voice using Safari. I had a mic plugged into my iPod Touch and I was super excited.

Well, there is no happy ending. I can't say definitely if it works or not because it was my first time using the app, plus I have yet to hear back from Google Voice support.

When I do, I'll absolutely update you!

-iPod Grrl

First person shooter games are a classic and fun game. Games like Call of Duty are really popular because they combine the first-person shooter with the adventure approach.

Doodle Army is a cool 2D game that has both of these element, along with cool graphics and an interface that is easy to use. The game blends seamlessly from one scene to another.

You start off training with a drill instructor, who is pretty firm, starts off by telling you to change your uniform. You add a hat then you're ready to move on to the second part of the training. 

The Sargeant shouts instructions at you, and you also get helpful pop-up windows that point to where you need to go. To pick up guns or collect purple hearts, all you do is walk over them.

At first, you're just there with your trainer, and he's giving you commands. Then, a stick figure shows up that pretty much just looks like you and the Sargeant.

Then, you hear your commander tell you to destroy your "target." At first I was confused, because I was like, you want me to fire at that friendly looking stick figure guy? And as I was thinking this, he started yelling at me to shoot! The poor guy wasn't shooting at me or anything. He was just standing there. 

My superior starts taunting me and I remember what he said earlier about wanting to go back home to my mommy, so I get all emotional and just start shooting. And pretty soon, that nice guy disintegrates. 

Then I see more of these guys. Next thing you know, you're in the game! And you're running and jumping over the barricades. I find that for myself, the snowplow approach worked. 

My snowplow technique is similar to my racing technique. I just lay on the gas and don't let up! It kinda gives me a thrill, and I match catch a little air here and there. 

This worked pretty well actually for my first run through the game. I only managed to get killed when I started experimenting with the game, like running away from the "targets". 

Doodle Army is a unique game and definitely had me engaged. Its a new game, has gotten great reviews so far, and got the potential to be the next hit game! 

-iPod Grrl