Hey look, I like the advanced notetaking tools we're afforded on our computers, smartphones and tablets as much as anyone. But there's a point at which your documentation of life just gets in the way of you actually living life. Case in point: Evernote's two new apps, Food and Hello. More »

Evernote, the popular note-taking, productivity apps, received a huge update today. It includes rich text styles, numerous interface improvements, and much more.

It’s not specifically in the release notes, but @ichadman points out that one of those UI improvements is three-finger swiping between screens. Very cool!

Evernote turns the iPhone, iPod Touch and iPad into an extension of your brain, helping you remember anything and everything that happens in your life. From notes to ideas to snapshots to recordings, put it all into Evernote and watch as it instantly synchronizes from your iPhone to your Mac or Windows desktop. See why millions of people worldwide use Evernote:

Create text, photo and audio notes
Auto-synchronize your notes to your Mac, PC, and Web
Magically makes text within snapshots searchable
Mark notes as “Favorite” for quick access
All notes include geo-location information for mapping and search
Premium Feature: File Synchronization – add, sync, access, and share files (PDF, Word, Excel, PPT, and more) among the different versions of Evernote you use

Update includes:

Add rich text styles, lists and links to notes (iOS 4.2 and above)
Edit existing notes containing simple styles (iOS 4.2 and above)
Redesigned New Note and Edit Note screens on iPhone
Access Shared Notebooks
Tap an image in a note to launch a slideshow
Premium users can lock Evernote with a passcode
Search within individual notes
Redesigned iPad look and feel
iPad: Pinch and zoom into the note list
iPad: Support for multi-selection of notes for easy sharing and deletion
Numerous interface improvements and bug fixes

Evernote is available on the iPhone and iPad for Free.

[App Store link]

Have an app you’d love to see featured on TiPb? Email us at iosapps@tipb.com, tell us about your app (include an iTunes link), and we’ll take a look.

Writing and sending postcards is a traditional vacation ritual and, thanks to the wonders of modern technology, can cost you no more than a little time and energy.

Don’t be forced to choose among cheesy print postcards at your vacation destination — use your own iPhone photos with one of these fabulous, free apps that creates electronic postcards you can email.

While your dear old grandma may still prefer a card of the paper variety, next time you’re on a trip away from home, why not drop a line to your friends, family and colleagues using one of these apps?


1. SodaSnap



SodaSnap offers a simple app interface that matches the simplicity of the final product. To get started, choose an image. You can either select a photo from your iPhone's camera roll, snap a pic of your surroundings, or use your location.

Using your location brings up the maps app from which you can screengrab. This doesn't make the most compelling picture postcard, but it may be a useful tool for meetings and invitations.

Once you're happy with your image, you can add text and hit the "Share" button. The way the app is designed, it's pretty much what you see is what you get, so you'll have a good idea of what the recipient will see in the inbox. As well as email, there are options to share to Twitter and Facebook.


2. Photocards


The Photocards app allows you to snap a pic or grab one from your camera roll. When you've sized the photo to fit the frame, you can choose a background.

The available backgrounds display classic stock photography — the sky, greenery, sand, landscapes, etc. — but the pleasant surprise is that the images are actually decent quality. The not-so-pleasant surprise is that you have to pay for some of them.

With your background and picture in place, it's just a matter of penning a few lines before emailing your creation.


3. Montager


Montager is a little different because it acts as more of a photography tool. However, we really like that it lets you get creative with your pics.

It offers a number of templates that allow you juxtapose three images into a mini-montage. You simply double-tap the empty space you want to fill, and then create your triptych either on-the-fly with photos taken with the iPhone's camera, or from pics saved to the camera roll.

Although there's no built-in text options, you can email from within the app, so add your message there.


4. Current Postcards


Once you've snapped a photo or grabbed one from your camera roll, the Current Postcards app lets you select a font (a big bonus in our book) before opening the theme gallery.

Themes categories include Birthday, Special Events, Holidays, Everyday or Just For Fun. While we'd struggle to pick a theme from most of the clipart-esque options, the simple postcard in the "Everyday" category (as seen above) is quite classic.

You can send your Current Postcards creations via email or post to Facebook.


5. Postino


Creating a postcard with the Postino app is a four-step process. First upload a photo from your camera roll or capture one anew with your iPhone.

Next write the message, and then you're onto the really fun step — adding your signature.

You can scrawl your John Hancock on your iPhone screen with your finger. We think this would be a really nice touch if you're sending postcards with a child — although, if your finger writing skills are as rubbish as ours, your signature may end up looking like a child's anyway!

Once you've added that personal touch, email your postcard.

Thumbnail image courtesy of Steve Moses

More About: app store, apple, iphone, iphone apps, iphotography, List, photography
For more Mobile coverage:Follow Mashable Mobile on TwitterBecome a Fan on FacebookSubscribe to the Mobile channelDownload our free apps for Android, Mac, iPhone and iPad

Touch Expense, by MobiApps, is an iPhone application designed for tracking your expenses.

Touch Expense is an innovative and easy way to put your daily expenses.
Insert and tracking your daily expenses has never been faster and enjoyable.

Navigate between days easily through the dynamic calendar control;
Enter your expenses with an innovative slider;
Optimized for iOS 4 and Retina Display;
Categorize your expenses with icons ready for use;
See your monthly expenses based on categories through a pie chart;
Multi language.

I’m not sure how I feel about the UI for entering in expenses. You must slide your fingers up (and down) the big circular sliders to enter the amounts – the left one is for dollars and the right one is for cents. Having a keypad pop up would be faster, in my opinion. The look of the UI, however, is really neat and makes me want to get used to the entry method. In fact, the look reminds me of my favorite weight tracking app, Weightbot.

Touch Expense is available on the iPhone for $1.99. Screenshots after the break.

[iTunes link]

Have an app you’d love to see featured on TiPb? Email us at iosapps@tipb.com, tell us about your app (include an iTunes link), and we’ll take a look.

As many of you may know, I am one of the productivity geeks here at TiPb. I am always looking to use tools to help me be more productive and save time. I have used most of the major task management platforms available for iPhone and iPad, but I have secretly longed to do it in Evernote.

There are many ways use GTD and Evernote and a quick Google search will usher many results. However, I have adopted and tweaked Jeff Kirvin’s GTD concept in Evernote. Let me explain how it works. Getting Things Done (GTD) is a methodology for complete task management. Evernote is suited well for this as it has folders, tags and custom searches; this is my setup.

First, I only use one notebook, that’s right, only one. I use the ingenious title of “My Notebook” for its title. From here I start to add tasks, articles, whatever- things I need to get done, into my the folder. From there I have an “All” tags category with literally hundreds of sub tags for just about anything I can think of from “Humor” to “Science Fiction”. Once I place a note in my notebook, I tag it with as many tags as I feel it needs. Next I determine if the note is actionable; if it is, do I need to do anything with it? If the answer is no, I don’t do anything and save the note making it instantly searchable later if I need it. If the answer yes, then I give it a Context. A Context is typically labeled with an “@” (ampersand) and can mean different things, but I equate it to location or state of mind. For example, I use @Home, @Computer to indicate a place to do something. I have contexts like @Internet, @Read and @Evernote that I use to tell me I need to read or write something, but that could really be anywhere. I typically assign the @Evernote or @Read context for schoolwork or articles I send to Evernote that I want to read later or for writing a blog post (like this one).

After I have assigned the context tag, I save the note. If you work on Projects, you can create those too (as a tag) and assign notes as appropriate. However, I use a method similar to Jeff in a sense that I borrow the methodology of the AutoFocus system by Mark Forester and simply pick what I feel is appropriate at the time. If something is date-sensitive, I will add a date to the title so I see the date first, then the action name. Others may add these items to their calendar.

Now at this point you are probably saying to yourself, “That’s great Chad, but how do I find something in this big bucket of notes?” Ah, that is where the power of Evernote comes alive.

You see, the secret with Evernote is the Custom Search. You can enter search criteria and Evernote will return the result. So, let’s go back and look at my action of @Evernote, Blog Post for GTD. When I complete this task, I add a !Complete tag to the note and remove the”@” context. This will allow me to see that is completed while removing the fact it is an action item. In Evernote there is number that appears next to the context. I use this number to determine the volume of actions I have in any given context. So, by removing the context from a completed note, I am able to keep the number limited to only items I need to get done while having the !Compelte tag allows me to track what I have done.

So If I want to create a search from completed tasks, that is east I use: tag:!Completed -tag:@. This will display every note that is done but that does not include a”@” context. If I want to see how many tasks I have compelted in the last week, I can use this: tag:!Completed -tag:@, created:week-1. This works really well. I use different variables of this logic to architect my Evernote custom searches to only display what I need. For example, if I want to find notes that I haven’t tagged (sometimes they slip through!) I created an “!Inbox” search. This criteria is simply -tag:. This tells Evernote to show me everything that doesn’t have a tag. I also use an !Active Tasks search to show me all actionable tasks with an “@” context. This search looks like this: tag:@. Since I don’t really use dates for my tasks, I also need a way to mark a task as something I want to do today. For this, I use !Today tag and create a custom search like this: tag:@* tag:!Today. The other benefit of these searches is that they sync from platform to platform. Mac, PC, iPhone, iPad, Android, BlackBerry, Web, it appears everywhere. Also, you may be wondering why I am placing an exclamation (!) point in front of my custom searches. Evernote sorts searches, tags and folders by name so adding interesting characters such as an @, !, # and . elevate them to the top of the alphabetical list.

So far I am enjoying this system; its seems to be working well. Sometimes I feel tempted to go back to using OmniFocus or ToDo, but I am about two weeks in and I have little adjustments here and there for the custom searches trying to really nail what I need for retrieval. One of the other main benefits of using Evernote for GTD is that you can email items directly into Evernote. For example, you have some work emails you need to follow up on or some emails with useful attachments. You can send that email with attachments to Evernote for reference or action (attachments beyond images, audio, ink and PDFs require an Evernote Premium account, but it is totally worth it).

If you are looking to learn more about the system I have described, here is Jeff’ Kirvin’s original post as well as links to David Allen for GTD and Mark Forester for the AutoFocus system.

Evernote for iPhone and iPad is available in the App Store. [iTunes link]

How to Get Things Done with Evernote for iPhone and iPad is a story by TiPb. This feed is sponsored by The iPhone Blog Store. TiPb - The #1 iPhone, iPad, and iPod touch Blog

AT&T Navigator for iPhone — powered by TeleNav — has just been updated to version 1.7i and here’s all the new stuff you get:

Lane Assistance: Need to know what lane you should be in? Lane assist will help you with exactly that, making easier to know where you should be to prepare for your next maneuver.

Traffic Camera Alerts: Want a heads up before heading into the next traffic light? Traffic Camera Alerts gives you exactly that – a simple way for you to know what’s coming up ahead at the next traffic signal!

One Touch Speech Recognition: Now, with AT&T Navigator 1.7i, you can now with just one button speak in commands to quickly find the information you’re looking for! You can say things like “Search for the library” or “Drive to Las Vegas, Nevada.”

Battery Saver Mode: Is there any bigger bummer than finding our your cell phone’s battery has died? With Battery Saver Mode, when you’ve arrive at your destination or have been stationary for a while, this feature will give you peace of mind by turning off your GPS – and helping to save your battery.

Multitasking: Big fan of iOS4? Then without a doubt, multitasking is an important feature to you.

Smoother 3D Animations: In the new version of AT&T Navigator, we’re now using a new “OpenGL” engine that allows us to use higher frame rates, better transition animations, and renders faster when panning in 3D maps! What does that mean for you? A better navigation experience!

If you want to see it in action, there’s video after the break. If you want to win one of three (3) free one year subscription, head on over to the iPhone App Forum now!

[iTunes link]

AT&T Navigator for iPhone update + give away! is a story by TiPb. This feed is sponsored by The iPhone Blog Store. TiPb - The #1 iPhone, iPad, and iPod touch Blog

Plane Finder AR adds a layer of augmented reality to its previous (and free) Plane Finder app, now charging $3 for the privilege of seeing the flight number, speed, destination and other such details of overhead planes. More »

Here at Mashable, we’ve been putting the iPhone 4 through its paces, and have come up with some handy tips and tricks that can help you get more out of your Apple-flavored mobile.
We’ve covered all kinds of basics, like making search results more relevant, creating shortcuts for your favorite websites, better organizing your apps, and making the most of Maps.
And, as ever, if you’ve got suggestions for more iPhone magic not covered here or in our previous Keyboard Shortcuts post, you know we want to hear them in the comments below.
1. Change the Spotlight Search Result Order

The iPhone’s Spotlight Search functionality is a great improvement from early incarnations, but you can make it even more relevant to you just by tweaking the settings.
In the “Settings” menu, go to “General,” then select “Spotlight Search.” You are then presented with a list of categories. By touching the three bars icon next to each category, you can change the order of how the phone presents search results.

This feature can be an extremely useful time saver, as it prioritizes search results based on what you’re most likely to look for (e-mails, apps, contacts, etc.).
2. Lock the Screen Orientation

A great feature for anyone who reads iBooks in bed, you can now lock the screen on your iPhone to stay in the portrait orientation and avoid that annoying wobble between portrait and landscape you can get in certain situations.
To activate the lock, tap the home button twice, then scroll to the screen on the left, at which point you’ll see a square gray icon with a circular arrow on the far right. Tap this to lock the screen (you’ll see a locked icon in the top right of the display now) and unlock by tapping again.
3. Change the Display to White on Black

This one falls under the iPhone’s Accessibility features as it offers a high contrast, more easy-to-view display, but it can also be employed just to make your phone look a little different.
To make the change, head to “Settings,” then “General,” then “Accessibility” and then toggle “White on Black” to “On.”
The colors on your phone’s display are now inverted, however, the Apple magic that makes this happen must have something to do with the phone’s display, rather than a software change, as you can’t export screen grabs showing this setting. To see the effect in action, you’ll have to make do with our real-life photos.

4. Create a Homescreen Icon for Any Website

This is a really nice option for anyone who regularly visits websites that don’t offer their own app. You can easily add a one-touch shortcut for any webpage to your homescreen in the iPhone’s Safari browser.
Simply load up the site you’re interested in and then press the “+” on the bottom of the screen. Select the “Add to Home Screen” option.

You can then label it something appropriate. Now, as the screenshot below shows, there will be a shortcut icon to the site on your homescreen.

5. Use the Front-Facing Camera for More than FaceTime

The iPhone 4’s front-facing camera isn’t just about FaceTime. You can also use it to snap quick portrait pics (as above) and even record video of yourself.

To access the front-facing camera, go to the main camera and then hit the camera with an arrow icon on the top-right corner. This switches the view to whatever the front-facing camera sees, meaning you’ll be able to see yourself on the screen to press the shutter at the correct moment.
To toggle between capturing stills and video, it’s the same as the main camera — slide the toggle from either icon at the bottom of the phone’s screen.

6. Open and Save PDFs in iBooks

The iPhone offers handy “Quick Look” functionality for viewing PDFs, but what’s even cooler is that you can auto-save them into iBooks and then access and view them from there.
Simply press and hold on the PDF icon and you’ll see the option to “Open in iBooks.” Hit this, and the PDF will be ported over, and be available to view in the app from then on.

7. Turn iBooks Into Audio Books

Another one of the iPhone’s Accessibility options for the visually impaired, the “VoiceOver” feature is a gesture-based screen reader.
Using slightly different controls (double tap to select and three fingers to scroll), VoiceOver essentially reads aloud what is on the phone’s screen.
Aside from the obvious uses for the visually-impaired, this also means that iBooks can become audio books. To activate it, go to “Settings,” then “General,” then “Accessibility” and toggle VoiceOver to “On,” at which point you get options to tweak the settings (the speed of reading) and try out the new controls.
Once activated, if you head over to your iBooks app, VoiceOver will read your selected texts to you. It might not be something you want to employ that often, but tired eyes might appreciate having a book read to them at certain times.
8. Manually Add Pins to Maps to Mark Locations

In the iPhone’s Maps app, you can add pins which make navigating to a point or sharing your location super easy to do.
In Maps, you’ll see a blue Post-It-style note icon on the bottom-right corner. Tapping this will give you the option to drop a pin. Selecting this drops a purple pin in the map, which you can drag to exactly where you want it.

Now that you’ve placed your pin, you’ll see a label that hovers over it. This leads to even more functionality.

Clicking through on the label gives you the options to get directions to that point, from that point, and also share that location via e-mail or text message as well as bookmark it. We think this functionality could be super useful for navigating your way back to your car, or a camp site, for example.

And while we’re on the topic of Maps, here’s a bonus tip. Did you know that hitting the arrow-shaped icon on the bottom-left of your display will activate the phone’s compass and show you on the map exactly which direction you’re facing? Clever, huh?
9. Swipe to Delete

There are some handy features for deleting messages more quickly. The most common way to delete multiple messages in e-mail is to hit “Edit,” select the messages you want gone, and then hit the big, red delete button. Alternatively, you can simply swipe to bring up a delete option.
In your inbox, swipe your finger from right to left across a message and you’ll see a delete button appear. Press it and the message is toast.
Gmail users, however, may only get the option to “Archive,” so if you’re using Gmail you’ll have to tweak your settings first. To do this, go to “Settings,” “Mail, Contacts, Calendars,” “Google Mail” and then toggle the “Archive Messages” option to “Off.” This will now reveal that delete option.
This swiping trick can also be used for phone messages, Notes and more.

10. Add Folders to the Dock

The ability to create folders is one huge improvement brought with iOS4, and is a very popular feature when it comes to organizing and accessing apps. In using folders, there’s a neat trick that will let you have all your most-used apps on your phone’s homescreen.
To create a folder, just press and hold any app until it starts wiggling. Then, drag the app into another app that you’d like to include in the same folder. The iPhone will automatically generate a name for the folder based on its contents. You can edit this name by pressing and holding the folder icon.

Once you’ve got your folders made, if you clear something less useful out of the dock (you can only have four things in at a time) you can drag and drop your folder into the dock for super-fast access.
With clever folder creation (Work, Play, Phone, Tools, etc) you could pretty much have everything you need one tap away from the homescreen, rather than scrolling through endless screens of apps.

More iPhone Resources from Mashable: - HOW TO: Make Free iPhone Ringtones - 10 Useful iPhone Keyboard Shortcuts, Tips and Tricks - 10 Incredible iPhone Portrait Photographs - 10 Incredible iPhone Photographs - 10 Ridiculous iPhone Accessories [PICS]
Reviews: Gmail, SafariMore About: apple, how to, how tos, iBooks, iOS, iOS4, iphone, iphone 4, iphone apps, List, Lists, tips and tricks
For more Apple coverage:Follow Mashable Apple on TwitterBecome a Fan on FacebookSubscribe to the Apple channelDownload our free apps for iPhone and iPad

The Museum of Modern Art in NYC is one of the best museums in the world, but it can be a little overwhelming. But the new MoMA iPhone app should make visiting a more manageable experience. More »