Tag: Service »

VPN Unlimited, by Simplex Solutions, is a virtual private network app that has no limits on the bandwidth or connection speed and provides you with a secure connection.

Simplex Soultions has just released version 3.0, which has strengthened encryption methods, added a fully downloadable global server list, included the ability to use VPN on up to 5 devices through one account, and gives hands-on statistics for each device. They have also redesigned the user interface, making it sleeker and easier to use. The app now has new servers in Romania, Canada, Hong Kong, Singapore, Ukraine, Japan, Texas, and Florida as well.

You can download VPN Unlimited for free on the App Store. It gives you ten days of free service, after which you can opt in to one of their time-limited subscriptions.

HealthTap has a new app that is trying to bring together doctors and those who need medical advice in a new, convenient way. Users can message doctors directly with HealthTap, seeing which doctors are available live to talk about health issues right at that moment. It is possible to talk to them privately, is HIPAA-secure, and supports the ability to share photos and documents with the doctor. Making appointments directly from within the app is possible, and users can view and share their private health records digitally with doctors. HealthTap claims that over 12,000 doctors are available with its service. As well, there’s a directory of over one million doctors available, with a DocScore available for many doctors, showing their effectiveness based on peer review and other publicly-available data.

While many of these features do cost money, HealthTap claims that they often cost less than a co-pay, saving users money and doctors time in solving health issues that may not require full appointments. HealthTap is available for iPhone/iPod touch, iPad, Android, and via the web.

We're not sure what happened to the final "e" in this app's name, but it's hard to fault developers from falling prey to the Web 2.0 naming conventions that seem to be a near constant in our connected world.

That being said, the unfortunately named Rocketr is a note taking app with a few unique features. For one, the app promises to let note takers create note after note, and navigate between them without ever leaving the comfort of the keyboard, something not often seen in the touchscreen enabled app-iverse. In addition, Rocketr allows for collaborative notetaking by adding "Editors" to any note document in the app via the Rocketr website. These named Editors will then be able to see changes sync in real time with all other Editors. Let the team document editing begin! Even more unique, the app allows users to publish public notebooks to the web, tweet or email directly into Rocketr, and download notes from the web at any time.

The app syncs with the Rocketr website, to allow for cloud-based synchronization of Rocketr notes. But wait! There's more!

Note-taking Features
* Create text notes
* Email notes into Rocketr by sending to [email protected]
* Tweet notes into Rocketr by using the hashtag #rkt in tweets
* Auto-synchronizes your notes to the web
* Search notes (only supported on web version for now)
* Download all your notes, anytime, from the web version

Collaboration Features
* Add as many people to a notebook as you like (we call them “Editors”)
* Create an unlimited number of public notebooks that the world can see
* Make notebooks private (viewable by you and your editors)
* Comment on other people’s notes (only supported on web version for now)

Rocketr is free, it's now, it's in the App Store. Why are you still here?

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You know that tone of voice the receptionist gives you when you call up hotel room service at four in the morning to get them to re-stock your mini bar? They’re trying to be chirpy but you know they’re not happy. That could become a thing of the past if the latest innovation from the Hilton San Diego Bayfront catches on.

Using a unique iPhone and iPad app and online portal, guests can now order food, drinks and amenities from their own device or those that are table mounted within the hotel. Guests are also able to chat directly with staff through the app.

The Hilton plans to offer users of its swimming pool facilities their own iPod touch, pre-loaded with the app this coming summer for the ultimate in poolside decadence. There are also plans to extend the app’s functionality to ordering from the hotel’s in-house Starbucks. Within the Odysea Lounge at the Hilton San Diego Bayfront, visitors can use the Odysea Lounge iPad app to book tours of the local area or order food and drink. When away from the hotel, users of the app can order the Lincoln Town Car service from the waterfront as well as discover local attractions of interest.

"San Diego has an amazing coastal culture and lifestyle: It's informal yet stylish and relaxed yet innovative," says Konstantine Drosos, Director of Finance at Hilton San Diego Bayfront. "We try to embody those qualities in everything we do, particularly guest services. Since most of our guests travel with some type of web-enabled device, it seemed natural to enhance their stays by offering our guest services and amenities through them."

The app itself looks both handy and a little too useful in our opinion and will likely see a rise in revenue for the hotel should such enticing combinations as Pomegranate Margarita and Crab Cakes continue to feature. Unique touches include the My Drink My Way option that allows hotel visitors to mix their own drink and have it delivered to their table. How easy could it be to get carried away with your iPad and this app with these features available?

Not only does this use of technology improve efficiency for the hotel but it offers customers more flexibility when it comes to ordering, and the ability to view what they are ordering before purchase is a major plus. The technology behind the new app comes from GBCblue, a guest computing technology and support service. This innovation in guest-services looks to be a big market with the iPad selling in such high numbers and the presentation of such a service can only help Apple shift more units too.

It seems, with its embracing of new technology, The Hilton San Diego Bayfront may have removed the clicking of fingers and the word “garcon” from a customer’s vocabulary.

If you plan on visiting the hotel the app can be downloaded for free here:

We’ve been closely following the buzz surrounding Square, the latest tech startup from Jack Dorsey, Co-Founder and Chairman of Twitter and now it’s live worldwide with its app available on the App Store.

Square is an ingenious app and payment service that allows anyone from a single user to businesses to accept credit card payments anywhere using just an iPhone, iPod touch or iPad. Those who sign up to the free Square service available at Squareup.com will receive a free card reader that plugs into the audio jack of your device and allows for cards to be swiped. Card details can be entered into the app manually if no reader is present. Receipts and photo verification are included with the service so users are sure of secure transactions with signatures signed on the iPhone screen.

In an open letter on the Square website, Jack Dorsey said:
“Square intends to bring immediacy, transparency, and approachability to the financial world. We want to enable all people to accept payments instantly, with access to all the information they need, in a way that feels amazing and engaging.”

This service will come as a great benefit to smaller businesses or mobile vendors who no longer need to put complex payment systems into place to complete transactions on the road or in person. Square is also keen to point out that, while attractive to the business market, the service is ideal for personal use too and uses the example of a man selling a sofa to his friend using his iPhone and Square.

The environmental benefits of the service are also clear with no paper bills or receipts created from any transaction. Square also points out that it can inform businesses of its repeat customers meaning loyalty cards may be a thing of the past.

So what’s the catch for this free service? It seems there really isn’t one. By comparison to other payment services, Square is a very reasonable option with no contracts or monthly minimums. Square takes a small percentage of each transaction, currently 2.75% +15 ¢ with the card present and 3.5% +15¢ when the card number is keyed in. That’s it!

Of course, a service like Square may take a little time to grow but, if it’s as easy to use as is promised and continues to offer the environmental and financial benefits it does currently, we could likely see Square becoming the default payment service in stores around the world.

After all, it’s not like Mr Dorsey’s other company is doing badly right now.