You have an iPhone. Now What?

You Have an iPhone. Now What?
Brent Passmore, Director of Web Development, University of Central Arkansas, and Carrie Phillips, Director of New Media, Arkansas Tech University

Did you just get an iPhone? Looking to use your iPhone to do things better at work? Brent Passmore and Carrie Phillips have some suggestions for you.

Both Brent and Carrie are armies of one at their respective colleges. They’re photographers, designers, managers, journalists — the whole kit and caboodle — and like many of us in higher ed, are expected to do more with less. To get the most bang for the buck, with a streamlined process, they’ve provided a host of recommended apps and gadgets.

Photo Apps

Instagram
Cost: Free
Benefits: Social Network, Fun Filters, Share pics everywhere
Bonus idea:  Brent takes an Instagram of an old campus building and posts it with a question “What’s YOUR favorite campus building?”

Photoshop Express
Cost: Free (with low cost upgrades)
Benefits: Basic photo editing; polish your pics before sharing

Photogene2
Cost: $.99
Benefits: Full featured photo editor, powerful collage maker, supports sharing to top social networks, ftp and email.

Collage makers: Diptic or PicFrame
Cost: Both $.99
Benefits: Fancy collages!

Video Apps

Animoto
Cost: Free
Benefits: Takes still photos, adds music and turns it into a video.

Filmic Pro
Cost: $3.99
Benefits: Provides advanced video camera features, including variable frame rates (1 – 25 and FPS), four selectable resolutions, framing guide overlays (4:3 and 16:9), thirds guide for help with compositions, audio metering, white balance and interface with social networks and Dropbox.

iMovie
Cost $4.99
Benefits: Tap to add video, photos, music and sound effects; drag to trim the length of clips; pinch to zoom the timeline; slide to scrub through your project. Publishes in HD directly to YouTube, Facebook, Vimeo, CNN iReport
Bonus idea: Share ipod touches with students to help capture additional content

Gadgets

Monopod or Tripod
Cost: variable
Benefits: steady shots look better

Glif (iphone 5 version coming soon)
Cost: $20
Benefit: allows you to mount the tripod to your phone

Olloclip 3 (iphone 5 version coming soon)
Cost $70
Benefits: provides a three-in-one lens.
Pro tip: Let manufacturers know that you work in higher ed to get discounts

Fostex AR-4i
Cost: $97.90 (on amazon.com as of 10/8/12)
Benefits: provides an audio interface for iPhone 4S/5; point mics in two different directions; comes w. audio app.

Smart Phocus
Cost: $100 – $150 comes w. various lenses
Benefits: increases ability to capture quality video; has own mount for tripod