How App'd: ChaseMobile with QuickDeposit

The strides developers are making in the world of apps continues to amaze me. The latest app I'm showcasing is ChaseMobile from J.P. Morgan Chase Bank with QuickDeposit for the iPhone. Say goodbye to putting your fingers on those grimy screens and keyboards at the ATM! With ChaseMobile you can check your balance, transfer funds and find ATMs and branches. QuickDeposit is one of my favorite features. You can snap a photo of your check (see the photo above -- taken from my iPhone) and watch in amazement as your deposit is recorded instantly.

In less than five minutes I "scanned" my check and a pending note was placed on my account.

Hold on Mommy Warbucks; your daily online deposits are limited to $1,000 per day or $3,000 per 30-day period.

Available for: iPhone
Version: 2.3.1
Cost: Free
Pro: Banking at your finger tips. No more "eew" moments at the ATM.
Con: All of this at your finger tips stuff is making it easier to couch surf.

Women in Technology

As an expanded update to last year's article entitled "The Most Influential Women in Web 2.0," Fastcompany.com has released a new list: "The Most Influential Women in Technology." On the list are entrepreneurs, such as the cofounder of Flickr, Caterina Fake and (ahem, ahem) bloggers, like Gina Trapani, writer of Lifehacker, among other groups such as gamers and brainiacs.

Hate Your iPhone?

You're not the only one...

"Actually, the iPhone probably sips, like a lipsticky girl with a vodka drink. It usually does things in a cute way. Whatever. At 4 in the morning, I was in bed, fighting rage. I couldn’t stop thinking about that device’s tarty little face and those yapping “apps” you can download for it. The whole iPhone enterprise seemed to require so much attention, organization, explanation, praise, electricity. I know — I know: in the morning, Apple’s latest miracle machine would fill my palm with meaning and magic. So why couldn’t I contain my annoyance? I had no new-thing excitement. It dawned on me: I hated my iPhone."

The quote is from an entertainingly good read in the NY Times' Magazine about one person's experience with her iPhone. Full article here.

Web 2.0 Expo - SF

For those who know what the hell Web 2.0 is, there's a conference happening in SF next week (March 31st - April 3rd).

From the site: "The program will spotlight experts, leaders, and under-the-radar innovations, and in the spirit of Web 2.0, there will be ample opportunity for attendees to connect, contribute, and collaborate. Web 2.0 Expo will be a place for creativity, engineering, and innovation, focusing on four conversations:

• Education: a vetted, cohesive conference program to maximize the sharing of knowledge and expertise around creating the next generation web
• Tradeshow: a traditional tradeshow floor introducing builders of the Web to providers of tools, technology, services and infrastructure
• Networking: a meeting ground fostering face-to-face business development for entrepreneurs, VCs, partnerships and recruitment
• Launch Pad: a platform for notable companies and products to debut

Conference Tracks will Include:

• Fundamentals
• Development
• Marketing & Community
• Design & User Experience
• Strategy & Business Models
• Focus on: Mobile
• Focus on: Security
• Focus on: Web Operations
• Focus on: Web 2.0 at Work
• Focus on Government 2.0
• Products & Services"

For more info on cost and schedule, check out the site: http://www.web2expo.com/webexsf2009

Female Robot debuted at Tokyo Fashion Week

It seems fitting that Japan would be the first country to merge robotics with fashion. Debuting at Tokyo Fashion Week later this month will be cybernetic human HRP-4C, a new female humanoid robot developed by Japan’s government sponsored research laboratory AIST, reported Britain’s Telegraph. Her height, reaching only 5 feet 2 inches is meant to mimic the average size of the Japanese woman, as is her waiflike weight at 95 pounds. Her appearance, however, designed with slightly oversized eyes, a tiny nose and shoulder-length hair, looks more like an anime drawing than a human. She boasts 42 motion motors programmed to mimic the movements of flesh-and-blood fashion models, fully equipped at striking poses, flashing smiles and pouting.

“If we had made the robot too similar to a real human, it would have been uncanny,” said one of the inventors, humanoid research leader Shuji Kajita. “We have deliberately leant toward an anime style.”

The robot, which cost more than 200m yen, or £1.4m, to create, and was “developed mainly for use in the entertainment industry,” is not for sale at the moment. “We unveiled this to attract attention in society,” said Junji Ito, a senior official at the institute. “It’s important that people feel good about humanoids and want to work with them. We shifted from a dry mechanical image to a very human image.”

thanks to Stylesight for the post.

How to Sell Social Media to Haters

"I don't need to twitter or facebook man, I'm too cool for that shit." Anyone know those types? Sure you do. Here's cool article from Interactive Insights Group with tips on how to sell social media to the haters out there. Catch up or get left behind.

Co-Ruminations

Another reason to put the best foot forward and emanate positivity - turns out ruminating with your girls about sad stuff via text, email or a social networking site can only make you more depressed!

According to CNET, "Researchers from Stony Brook University have declared that excessive co-rumination--perhaps you would refer to it as "chatting with your friends about your problems"--by text, e-mail and on social-networking sites leaves impressionable teenage girls more prone to anxiety and depression."

Could this translate to grown ladies such as ourselves? Perhaps. So keep that chin up & shoulders down, fake it till you make it and write it down in a journal or call a damn therapist!

Read the entire article on CNET here.

Sound Blaster

Sound Blaster for iTunes from Creative Labs. Sounds like something we all want.

It wirelessly streams your music to any room of your home or office where you have a Creative Wireless Receiver connected to speakers or the new GigaWorks T20W speakers, which have a receiver built right in. The Sound Blaster for iTunes transmitter (the USB device) will be $99, the Creative Wireless Receivers will be $69.99 and the GigaWorks T20Ws will be $129.99. Available in the Spring.

Source: Popgadget

Parra for Incase

Dutch Artist, Parra and Incase released a 15? laptop sleeve and an iPhone 3G slider case. Both pieces feature Parra’s signature bold and colorful graphics, inspired by old comics and cartoons. Both the sleeve and case are now available at the Incase online store.

Source: Incase

Wifi Rabbits are for Lovers

These wifi enabled bunnies called Nabaztag can be "married" to another bunny anywhere else in the world (with a wifi connection). When you adjust your Nabaztag's ear, the married rabbit's will move to the same position. $189 a pop with a $10 discount when you buy 2.

http://www.dynamism.com/nabaztag.shtml

Good call!

Samsung’s newest phone may be simple but the casing is made of a tasty corn-based bio-plastic, the packaging is made of recycled materials, and it has cool eco-features, like a warning to unplug it when it’s fully charged. You won’t get all of the intrigue of a Blackberry or an iPhone, but getting one would be a pretty clean call, should you be in the market for a new mobile phone (but, remember, if the one you have does the job, stick with it). Also remember to recycle your old device - many zoos have set up collection boxes to benefit animals and their disappearing terrain.

LLSF Next Week - Merging Tech and Fashion

Have a business idea you'd like to develop?
Wanna get inspired?

Ladies Lotto SF would like you to meet Bianca Kramer, founder of Rue Inc. She'll be sharing her experiences merging tech and fashion from a ladies perspective.

Thursday, July 31st
7:30-10pm
Brick
1085 Sutter Street

RSVP: rsvpsf@ladieslotto.com

Popgadget for the Ladies

Popgadget.net is an online lifestyle magazine focused on covering technology and innovative products that's applicable to the lives of forward thinking women.

Here's what the LA Times has to say about Popgadget:

Bringing together the style of dailycandy.com and the sensibility of Wired magazine, popgadget.net provides short reviews of new technology from around the world as well as news bits on health, culture and "general neophilia"...technology with a twist is popgadget.net's forte.

So if you don't know, now you know!

Speed Up Your Slow Mac

Is your Mac slowing you down? Have you tried just about everything you know to speed it up? Here are some helpful hints from WIKI HOW TO.

Nu Rave Rubix Cube

"Featuring a unique ultra-bright (even in daylight) full-colour cubic screen and a unique cubic multitouch touchscreen technology (patent pending) this games platform has been programmed to implement various multi-dimensional games, puzzles, and lighting effects."

See more on http://www.andrewfentem.com/