By now most of you should be able to gather that I like my tools. Offline, I enjoy collecting pocket knives. Each one of these knives serves a unique purpose in my collection. I’ve got business casual, hobby related, and my personal favorite: my black one-handed blade movement. 9 times out of 10 that’s the one knife I’ll have in my pocket. And over in my other pocket? My favorite electronic tool; my iPhone. Just like my knife collection, I have a staggering library of apps that I use and test daily, and one of the gems is Vlingo.

Here’s what their website has to say:

At Vlingo we unlock access to wireless data services. As the inventor of the mobile phone “voice user interface,” Vlingo delivers a voice interface and technology that allows users to instantly access services and content on their device. These services include the ability send text and email messages, call contacts, search the Web, update your Facebook or Twitter status and much more by just speaking into their phone.

Vlingo is available for most current BlackBerry smartphones, Apple’s iPhone, Nokia S60 phones and select Windows Mobile phones.

I’ve used this app daily for the last 60 days. It comes in two flavors: free and paid version. Here’s the commands you say and the things you can do with each version:

Free Version
Maps (ex: “Find coffee shops in Cambridge”)
Social Update (ex: “Facebook update needs coffee right now”)
Web Search (ex: “Search Bonobo apes”)
Voice Dial (ex: “Call Charlie mobile”)

Paid Version
Email (ex: “Email Han, subject Tonight, message Running a bit late!”)
SMS Paste (ex: “Text Kaite, message are you free tonight for dinner?”)

So far I’ve only explored the free feautres of this app. It’s solid, works very well, and understands 90% of my commands the first time through! It has adaptive voice technology, so the more you use it, the better it understands your vocal commands. If you’re connected, on the go, and want a great ally as a communications tool, look no further than Vlingo.

Enter the shiny new iPhone (minus the drool).  What a dream!  Now my mobile productivity is at an all-time high. It’s loaded with applications that help me do my job.  Previously I could not justify the expense of this fancy piece of wizardry.  However, now I’m a web designer, and I need to stay connected in order to carry out my designer-ly duties.  So, what kinds of things might a web designer need to do while on the go?

Emails.  It’s very important to be reachable by my clients.  If I need to respond to inquiries, tech support requests, or know about security updates I can make it happen.  Most of the time I’m in front of my computer so this is not a problem.  However, I’ve spent several days out of town in the last month, so I understand the importance of staying connected while on the go.

Mobile blogging. I find it challenging to keep up with life and work.  Managing personal and business blogs on top of that can be an arduous task.  Being able to blog as my ideas come to me is priceless.  More often than not I’ll have an idea for an entry while I’m away from my computer doing some idle task.  Now I can whip up a draft just like that!  In the blog-o-sphere this is very important because readers and subscribers enjoy new content on a regular basis.

My portfolio.  It’s the lifeblood of any designer’s business.  Now I can show a prospective client ideas and even sites I’ve built while we’re having lunch!  I’ve found that it’s a bit of a chore to effectively collaborate with clients when we’re not sharing the same physical space.  Now I have the opportunity to share ideas and get input no matter the time or location.  This is crucial for me in order to keep the design and development process flowing.

Well, there you have it!  These are just a few of the reasons why I love my new iPhone 3G. It helps me stay connected while on the go, I can maximize my down time, and it gives me new ways to share technology with prospective clients.  I’m sure I’ll find new features and applications that I look forward to sharing with you in future posts!