Measurements aren’t really meant to be made by human beings. Measurements are a job best left to to robots and Convertbot is here to serve.

I first saw this app on a list of 30 sexy iPhone apps, and by golly, they were right: Convertbot is ridiculously good-looking. It features a hi-tech sounding interface complete with smooth metal sound effects and a polished metal appearance. Every UI element glides into place, and panels will just slide open or closed when needed. The Batmobile wishes it had this many moving parts.

Convertbot works by using the dial to selecting a conversion category (weights, currency, temperature, etc.) and then selecting the specific measurements you’d like to convert to and from. Then you simply tap on the “From” field at the top of the screen, enter a number, and watch as the “To” field instantly changes with the correct converted value. I

One thing that can be a bit confusing is that the app is basically navigated purely via the icons — and it can take a little while to register what they are, or where they’re placed on the dial. Otherwise, I’ve found Convertbot to be a fantastic example of a gorgeous and functional UI. A big kudos to Tapbots for making something like a converter a fun app to use!

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Convertbot is available on the App Store for $0.99, but it’s actually available for FREE for a limited time before the 1.4 release (link here)

I love Windows Mobile Professional.  One of the features that I like the most is the Start Menu, as it provides a simple means of accessing multiple programs.  The built in Start Menu that is included in Windows Mobile is quite suitable for most.  However, for some users, the default offering may start seeming a bit lacking.  Where are the cascading submenus?  Where are the shortcuts to various controls?  If you find yourself wanting more, I recommend taking a look at QuickMenu.  QuickMenu is a light-weight, free system level program that can completely replace the standard Windows Mobile Start Menu.

QuickMenu stands above the default Start Menu by adding support for cascading menus, providing the user with direct access to all of the programs installed on the device.  Application shortcuts that are placed in folders can be easily expanded.  This is definitely much quicker than going into the Programs section offered by the built in Start Menu.

Additionally, QuickMenu provides direct access to the settings panels of the device.  With Settings a default option on the new menu, you can easily navigate the menus as they cascade.

The last feature that we’re going to take a quick look at is the “QuickMenu” submenu.  The “QuickMenu” submenu provides access to the wireless functions of the device.  Expanding the choices, the ability to toggle wifi or bluetooth is available.  The user can also easily toggle the screen orientation or SIP used.  The submenu also provides support for “Hibernate”, which triggers a sequence to reclaim consumed RAM.  If cascading menu support, the ability to access the system settings quicker, or the ability to toggle the radio states on your device wasn’t enough, the “Hibernate” option should be enough to tip you in favor of QuickMenu.  Selecting the option is much quicker than rebooting the handheld and can release several megs of RAM.  My typical amount released is between 3 MB and 5 MB, depending on what I have been running.

If you haven’t already downloaded and installed a copy of QuickMenu to your Windows Mobile Professional device, you can get the latest version here.

Let’s face it.. 4 AM comes pretty quickly after one shuts their eyes at night.  At least it does for me!  I opt to get up at 4 AM in the morning to complete my work as a consultant answering emails.  Getting the work done before the rest of the family gets up and before the regular 8 AM – 3 PM job starts, makes the day go much, much smoother.  The only problem, as I noted above, is that 4 AM is just plain early.

I’ve tried several different ways to wake myself using my HTC Wizard or HTC Hermes.  Initially, the Windows Mobile standard alarm was enough to do the trick.  After a while, the built in alarm sounds weren’t doing the trick any longer, so I opted for a well known clock / alarm program that allowed me to set alarms at higher volumes.  Again, initially this was quite enough to force the climb from the bed.  As days passed, the volume wasn’t enough so I started setting multiple alarms.  First at 3:55 AM.  Next at 4:00 AM.  By the second alarm, I was eager to get out of bed, just to stop the repeated ringing sound coming at my tired ears.  Multiple alarms were sufficient for some time, but eventually I developed an interesting habit while sleeping.  Turns out, my arm would reach to the top of my bedside dresser and pull the HTC Wizard close.  Sleepy eyes could still open enough to see the “Dismiss” notification, right?  Funny thing is, it was even easier to dismiss the alarm by pressing a hard button.  I became so adept at simply reaching up to grab the Wizard, placing it under my pillow and comatosely dismissing the repeated alarms, that it became evident it was time to do something new.

Enter G-Alarm.  G-Alarm is an alarm type program for Windows Mobile Professional that allows the user to set multiple, complex methods of dismissing an alarm.  One of the options asks the user to dismiss the alarm by answering a mathematical equation, forcing the user to actually wake, at least somewhat.  Another of the options forces the user to guide a ball through a small maze.  Will it work?  Will it be enough to get me out of bed over the next couple of days?  Check back in a couple of days to find out!

I have been trying to get my wife to try using eBooks for several months now.  One of the big hang-ups she has expressed, though is the loss of that “booky” feel.  The pages in her hands, the smell of the paper and binding, even the 20 pound weight she has to heft around.  Well, this may not get her all the way back to flipping ahead to the next chapter, “just to see what happens,” but it might be a good enough compromise to bring her into the 21st century in at least one area.

These cases from Busted Typewriter are made from real books.  The pages are sealed together, and then hollowed out in order to create a space for your Kindle.  Other variations include your ipod, ipod Touch, and standard calculator.  So, if you want to live in the 21st century, while projecting the illusion of holding true to your 18th century ideals, then you will want to head over to Broken Typewriter and drop $25 on one of these cases yourself.

Product Page, via Gizmodo

Time to take a look at another game for the Palm Pre, Blackout.  Sadly, this is number four of five.  Like many of the other games available for the Pre, it is a good concept, but an underwhelming exhibition of what this platform can do.

The premise is pretty simple.  You are faced with a 5×5 grid of lights.  Some are dark, while others are light.  All you need to do is turn off all the lights.  To do so, just tap any light to switch its state.  Sounds easy enough, but each tap controls not only the light you are tapping, but each adjoining light as well (except diagonals).  So, not only will you switch the light you tap, but also those around it.  Now that complicates things.

This is a nice concept, although it is not particularly new by any means.  And I have to say, I was really expecting more than I found.  I would have liked more options, such as different difficulty levels and grid sizes.  Maybe even the ability to change the background.  I also found it odd that there were no instructions in the game.  So, while gameplay was enjoyable, like the other games on the Palm Pre, I found the execution to be a bit less than expected.  I hope game developers can step it up a few notches on the Palm Pre…though that seems unlikely until palm changes its policies with respect to its SDK.