iPhone

iPhone 5: Gadget Accessories

The long awaited iPhone 5 is finally here and what better way to celebrate it then with some new accessories! Add-ons to the ‘thinnest, lightest, fastest iPhone’ come in all shapes and sizes, so where do you start? We have a few recommendations that can make your weekend shopping just a tad bit easier.

Seeing as the new iPhone has revolutionary new dimensions, you can’t just transfer the case from your out-of-date iPhone 4. This thin and sleek beauty requires a brand new case to protect it. Add your own personal flare to the latest in technology, and you’ll be all the buzz with your friends. Tech buffs out there have created companies that allow you to create your own custom case, so check out Skinit to add your style that no one else has.

For those of you who also want to set up shop and work off your faster than ever phone, TradingMic has the New 360 Degree Rotation Smart Cover that holsters it to prop and rotate your phone for any viewing angle.

Since it’s the weekend and time to relax, the next time you want to play music streaming from the world’s lightest stereo, just plug in some speakers into the headset jack and you have yourself a party. So, go ahead and be creative. Enjoy your new phone and the endless possibilities.

How are you breaking in your new iPhone 5?

P3R Publicity is a full-service PR firm based in Los Angeles servicing fashion, hospitality, consumer goods, non-profits, talent and lifestyle brands. Visit us at www.myp3r.com.

Normal Eyes with Normalize

If you have an iPhone, you most likely use Instagram. Who are we kidding, most people want to get the iPhone just for this app!  Making you appear tanner and thinner, this app can change reality  into a whole new looking world. But how far is too far? Normalize changes back those Instagram photos so they look well, “normal.”

So how does it do it? Normalize aims at capturing images the normal way and seemingly challenges its mega-app opposite by upholding the natural, crisp look of a photo minus the dreamy filters. In a nutshell, it is essentially a filter that un-filters photos, leaving you with nothing but the bare bones that make up your picture.

No more neon trees or iridescent, yellow skin which, despite the popularity, simply do not exist in the world of Normalize. It is still used to enhance photos but in a style that balances lighting and evens out tone, a technique that professionals strive for in every shot. The app is used to correct that underexposed photo taken at night or that quick snapshot taken on a whim that did not quite turn out the way you wanted. Who knows, maybe making pictures “normal” could be the next big fad.

Do you Instagram or Normalize?

P3R Publicity is a full-service PR firm based in Los Angeles servicing fashion, hospitality, consumer goods, non-profits, talent and lifestyle brands. Visit us at www.myp3r.com.

‘Uber’ Convenient Transportation

We’ve all been there. You’re getting ready with your friends, and next thing you know, time has flown by and you need to get to your destination ASAP. So what do you do? In a city with little public transportation, it’s not common you’ll find an Angeleno standing with an outstretched arm on the curb.  Los Angeles is probably the only big city where a loud whistle won’t get you anywhere. With taxis being few and far between and the metro not going everywhere you’d like to go, something was bound to be created. Uber Los Angeles, an app available for both the iPhone and Android, is your on-demand personal driver. Just think, next time you need a ride, you’ll get a fancy town car or SUV with a driver ready and waiting to serve you.

 The best feature of Uber is its use of Google maps to visually pinpoint your location and all drivers located in your area. Rather than waiting twenty minutes without knowing if your ride will ever come, your driver’s time is estimated along with his individual customer rating. 5 stars and 1 minute away and you are ready to go!

Without interrupting conversations, you’ll be notified by text with your driver’s time of arrival, as well as when he arrives. Don’t worry about rummaging through your wallet for cash, your account during set up was linked to your bank! Paying your fare with tip included, all Uber asks is for you to say a quick “thanks” for their unbeatable service. Costing nearly the same as other modes of transportation, we don’t forsee any turning back.

Have you used this app?

P3R Publicity is a full-service PR firm based in Los Angeles servicing fashion, hospitality, consumer goods, non-profits, talent and lifestyle brands. Visit us at www.myp3r.com.

Steal of a Deal

We’ve all been there, scouring the Internet, namely Craigslist, for discounted items we need for that brand new apartment or house. Sometimes you may find yourself wanting to redecorate or expand your hobbies, also leading you to that long impatient search for that special something. Old are the days when we actually held and attended the good ol’ neighborhood yard and garage sales. Can anyone even remember the last time they went to one?

That’s because the Internet has made bargain hunting so much easier! You can shop online in the comfort of your home and have it sent to you directly. Who doesn’t love hassle free shopping? Well there is a new rival in town for Craigslist and it’s even easier to use than before. Made for your iPhone this free app called YardSale is Craigslist for your phone. It brings those sweet deals of yard sale shopping right to your fingertips. The best part is the display that is more user-friendly than the listings we’re all used to slaving over. Whether you’re buying or selling, this app makes receiving and giving much more stress free. Keeping it between us, on your profile it says, “YardSale was made by your neighbors Ryan and Ed.” Thanks guys for making life that much easier!

Do you prefer yard sales or Craigslist?

P3R Publicity is a full-service PR firm based in Los Angeles servicing fashion, hospitality, consumer goods, non-profits, talent and lifestyle brands. Visit us at www.myp3r.com.

Take A Look Around

The world of smartphones never ceases to impress. We can take videos with iSight to send by text message or even FaceTime to have face to face interaction in real time. Now we can feel even more like we’re there with the GoPano micro, an attachment giving you a 360 degree video.

 Made for the iPhone 4 and 4S this amazing technology is a lens that captures light from all directions to create a panoramic video. With the drag of a finger or a mouse, the receiver can go east or west and see everything you are seeing. Talk about 007, your friends will catch all the action as it takes place around you, so no more feeling left out!  Just think, you’ll finally be able to share your trips and those spectacular views you’ve experienced without saying the phrase,”The photo just doesn’t do it justice!”

What new gadget are you excited about?

P3R Publicity is a full-service PR firm based in Los Angeles servicing fashion, hospitality, consumer goods, non-profits, talent and lifestyle brands. Visit us at www.myp3r.com.

Rest Your Head on Stitchtagram

We’re not going to lie, we have become obsessed with Instagram over here at P3R.  So to say the least, we were beyond thrilled when we found out about this Washington D.C.-based company Stitchtagram that lets you design your own hand-made throw pillows using your favorite Instagram photos.  These pillows are such a great gift idea with a personalized touch— Perfect for a parent, friend, or pet!

Would you enjoy receiving a Stitchtagram pillow from a friend?

P3R Publicity is a full-service PR firm based in Los Angeles servicing fashion, hospitality, consumer goods, non-profits, talent and lifestyle brands. Visit us at www.myp3r.com.

Surviving Coachella with 4 Essential Apps

With thousands of music lovers flocking to the desert for Coachella, the weekend festival is finally upon us.  We’ve rounded up a few key apps for your survival during your stay in Indio.

Official Coachella 2012 is the app that has all of your need-to-know basics: artist info, set times, a “favorites” list to help you personalize your Coachella experience by choosing your sets, and a detailed map.

If you’ve ever been to any sort of concert before, you know that eventually someone is bound to get separated from the group.  Glympse is a free location share app, because everyone needs help navigating through the seemingly endless crowds from time to time!

Even though it’s not going to be the stereotypical scorching hot desert you imagine, staying hydrated is still the key to having endurance all weekend long.  You don’t want to miss out on your highly anticipated shows because you’re drained and dehydrated, do you?   Instead of grabbing that Red Bull, reach for some H20!  Water Your Body app tracks water consumption and then plots it so that over time, so you can correlate your hydration level with how you feel. The app is also equipped with alarms to remind you when it’s time to re-up, since you’ll probably forget during all the jam sessions.

Whether you’re blanking at what the song title is, or just hear a side stage song that intrigues you, Shazam is your savior.  The app captures a song, live or recorded, to find the name of the track and artist.

Which apps do you recommend?

P3R Publicity is a full-service PR firm based in Los Angeles servicing fashion, hospitality, consumer goods, non-profits, talent and lifestyle brands. Visit us at www.myp3r.com.

Facebook Buys Instagram For $1 Billion

Last week’s post about Instagram and Android was apparently a pre-cursor to today’s hot social network news. Mark Zuckerberg announced, via Facebook of course, that the company has acquired Instagram.

“I’m excited to share the news that we’ve agreed to acquire Instagram and that their talented team will be joining Facebook. For years, we’ve focused on building the best experience for sharing photos with your friends and family. Now, we’ll be able to work even more closely with the Instagram team to also offer the best experiences for sharing beautiful mobile photos with people based on your interests.”

The popular mobile photo sharing service sold for about $1 billion in cash and stocks.  Many young users of Instagram are worried this app will disappear into Facebook but CEO of Instagram Kevin Systrom assured fans that it “will be the same one you know and love.” The plan is to keep developing Instagram independently from the social network. This will allow users to post on other social networks, follow users not on Facebook, and to opt out of sharing on Facebook.

What do you think of this acquisition?

P3R Publicity is a full-service PR firm based in Los Angeles servicing fashion, hospitality, consumer goods, non-profits, talent and lifestyle brands. Visit us at www.myp3r.com.

Instagram For Android Is Finally Here

With more than 430,000 Android users on the waiting list, Instagram is now available in Google Play.  Smartphones running Android 2.2 or later will join the 30 million already registered users.  Previously, the photo app was only available to those with iOS.  Many Android users have been using Pixl-o-matic or RetroCamera, which aren’t as popular as Instagram, but slightly similar.

Instagram photo with different filters

iPhone users and celebrities really hyped the Instagram app to its high popularity status.  Seeing as how the Android culture pokes fun at Apple users, we wonder if Instagram growth will be as high as expected.

Do you think Instagram is just another hipster photo app or are you obsessed with editing your images?

P3R Publicity is a full-service PR firm based in Los Angeles servicing fashion, hospitality, consumer goods, non-profits, talent and lifestyle brands. Visit us at www.myp3r.com.

Digital Detox

People have become increasingly more addicted to their devices, from blackberries and iphones to iPads and laptops.  You name it, we’re obsessed with it.  Ever wonder how different your day would be if you weren’t digitally connected? The National Day of Unplugging runs from sundown Friday, March 23, to sundown, Saturday, March 24.

Thousands have already signed the pledge on Causes website.  With roots in Jewish tradition, the purpose of this modern day of rest was developed by Reboot as a way to bring balance to our increasingly fast-paced way of life and reclaim time to connect with family, friends, the community and ourselves.

Could you survive 24 hours without your devices?

P3R Publicity is a full-service PR firm based in Los Angeles servicing fashion, hospitality, consumer goods, non-profits, talent and lifestyle brands. Visit us at www.myp3r.com.