It’s a PDA
If you have a ‘Mobile Me’ account, the phone will sync (automatically, without any type of connection or command) to your calendar, your phonebook, your browser bookmarks, and probably even more things that I haven’t figured out yet… If you make a change on your phone, minutes later, your computer will be updated with that info. (and visa versa)
Email
Checking my email is probably the biggest reason why I have the iphone. Think of it… A quick response to a client email can mean the difference between getting and not getting a job. There are other cell phones out there having email capability, but other phones just don’t have the other features of the iphone.
It’s a portfolio in your pocket
The ability to store photos on your cell phone is nothing new, but the difference here is that the screen is at least readable and that you can actually, with the right cables, have the ability to show high-resolution photos on a television or a computer monitor. This comes in handy for those impromptu portfolio interviews or those times you want to impress potential clients, or even neighbors, at parties or other events… This is a great feature and easily worth the expense of the iphone. Just think… If you can bring in just one job from this, it’s paid for itself for years to come. I have never actually gotten a job this way yet, but MY wife doesn’t need know that.
Social marketing
Social networking / marketing is becoming a bigger and more important way of getting new business. Which will in turn bringing in more money to pay for your wife’s new clothes… The iphone has “apps” for facebook and twitter that I use all the time. I actually believe this is a useful marketing tool, not to mention a pleasant distraction. Even non-iphone users can use Facebook and Twitter, but having these apps on your phone means that they’re with you all the time. Stuck in traffic? Tweet! At the Doctors office, make a post. In bed, just before you go to sleep, check on your daughter’s boyfriend’s page…
Alarm clock for meetings
I use my iphone as my main alarm clock for getting up in the morning. Whether I’m in my own room or in a hotel room is some strange city in a hotel room, I can rest assured that the alarm clock will function properly. It’s easy and fast to set, and I have it with me at all times and I usually charge it beside the bed anyway, so why not use it to wake up to?
And Yes, I do use it to remind myself of business meetings too. It’s kind of like the Swiss Army Knife of phones, but not as bulky… And I use it for a steak timer for when I’m grilling too, but that fact may not impress your wife all that much, but then again, maybe she like’s her steaks rare.
GPS for finding your meetings
I own a Garmin GPS and really love it, but there are times when I find myself without it and I need to find a location. This has happened several times and the iphone has come through every time. I don’t find it quite as useful as the Garmin, but it will get you to where you want to go and I use it for this purpose all the time.
Instant access to whether and whether maps
As a commercial location photographer, whether can be very important to me. I love having instant access to whether maps and forecasts. There are several apps that will let you see current whether maps at the click of a button. This comes in hand also when I choose to drive my motorcycle to work. Oooops, time to leave, the weather front is just about here!
Camera for scouting and emailing
Okay, the camera in the iphone isn’t all that great and other cell phones have cameras too, but it is a feature I use all the time. Like other phones, you can text pictures to people and you can even email pictures too.
Sticky Notes
The trouble with notebooks it they’re usually not with me when I need one. The iphone has the ability to make notes (sticky notes) and since my phone is always with me, my notebook is always with me. Weather it’s a Honey-do list or a list of clients’ names you just don’t want to forget, the iphone is there when you need it.
Plays music
The iphone is a phone and an ipod. Even though the storage capacity isn’t huge like a regular iphone, it can still hold a bunch of good music, and in my case, a bunch of music no one else seems to care for. With the right cord, the iphone plugs into any computer or stereo and you can play your music for everyone else to here.
Pandora
For those times when the people around me just can’t stand listening to my music anymore, there are “apps” that allow you to stream music from other sources like Pandora or various radio stations from around the country. Music sounds like a personal reason, rather than a business reason for owning an iphone, but in the business oh photography, whether in the studio or on location, music is a big factor for making the shoot go smoothly.
My Apps
There are tons of other apps out their too. And I do men tons. By the time you’re read this, there will be thousands more too. Here are some of the apps I keep on my phone:
- Calculator – good for keeping my math correct
- Twitterific – I follow my twitter accounts and tweet to clients
- Facebook – I keep an eye on friends and clients. (out of sight, out of mind)
- Weather bug – forecasts and radar maps
- Contact list – syncs all my client info automatically
- Calendar – So I know where I should be and what time I should be there.
- YouTube – Entertainment mostly.
- Itunes – Allows me to tryout and even purchase music.
- Google Earth – Lets me visit anywhere in the world, from where I am.
- Sirius XM – Lets me listen to music, talk, and anything else my wife’s car care gets.
- Concert valt – streams music from previously recorded concerts from around the world.
- Stacker – Radio stations from around the world.
- Iheart radio - Radio stations from around the world.
- Pandora – Streams music based on music or groups you like.
- Tweetdeck – Twitter client.
- Keeper – Password protected password keeper. (kinda redundant…)
- Linkedin – Business related social marketing tool.
- Wordpress – Allows me to remotely make blog posts.
- Flashlight – Helps me find my bed at night or my car keys in the dark.
- Blogpress - Allows me to remotely make blog posts.
- Blogwriter - Allows me to remotely make blog posts.
- Whitepages – Looks up people’s phone numbers.
- Free wi-fi – Lets me know where I can find free wi-fi anywhere.
- Urban spoon – Lets me find restaurant info based on my current GPS location.
- Tyro Tuner – Helps me tune my guitar.
- Take me to my car – Simple GPS related function to get me back to a give spot.
- Stocks – Lets me see how much money I’m loosing.
- Voice memos – I can dictate to myself, not that anyone else cares what I’m saying.
- AP mobile – News channel that allows me to follow world, national, and even local news (GPS based)
- Ihandy level. Us to level stuff, or even your camera!
- The weather channel – I can’t remember what this one is for… J
- Atomic fart – Last but not least… A whoopy cushion on a timer! Isn’t the iphone great!
So there you have it… There’s a bunch of ammunition that you can use to convince your wife you just gotta have a new iphone. In all honesty though, it’s a really great tool for the professional photographer, and after having one, I just couldn’t go without. Remember when a cell phone was an extravagance, and now you just couldn’t be without one, could you? It will be the same for you with the iphone.
Be a man! Go get one!
