Mel Martin

Now doing consulting and recently wrote a book on film producer Samuel Bronston who made El Cid and Fall of the Roman Empire. I also did the commentary on Fall of the Roman Empire with Bill Bronston, the son of the late producer. I'm an amateur astronomer, and take lots of high resolution photos of galaxies and nebula from my backyard observatory in Arizona.

Mel Martin's Latest Posts

Snapseed photo editor for iOS free today only

by Mel Martin (Dec 31st 2011 3:15PM)

Snapseed is one of my very favorite photo editors for the iPhone and iPad. It's normally US$4.99, but thanks to a New Year's Eve special it's absolutely free today. Snapseed includes the usual filters and cropping and straightening tools, but also adds frames and selective adjustments. It's ...

Verizon announces then kills extra $2 fee to pay bill by phone or online

by Mel Martin (Dec 30th 2011 7:30PM)

Good news for iPhone owners on the Verizon network. A day after announcing a plan to charge customers a $2.00 fee for telephone and online bill payments the plan has vanished without a trace. Could it be the announcement today from the U.S. Federal Communications Commission today saying it ...

Daily iPhone app: Lock Screen Weather

by Mel Martin (Dec 29th 2011 8:00AM)

Getting current weather on your iPhone lock screen seems like a really good idea. That's what the US$0.99 Lock Screen Weather app does. Tap a button on your iPhone and you'll get the current weather at your location, plus an extended 5 day forecast. There have been other attempts to do this, ...

iOS vs. Android: comparing Christmas activation numbers

by Mel Martin (Dec 29th 2011 6:00AM)

It depends on how you count the numbers (doesn't it always?) but it looks like iOS won Christmas day activations by a hefty 1.6 million units. The info comes from Flurry Analytics, who reports that iOS and Android together added 6.9 million devices on Christmas Day, a 353 percent increase from ...

New iPhone? Try these must-have free apps

by Mel Martin (Dec 26th 2011 7:00PM)

If you have that new iPhone you received for the holidays, you're probably looking to load it up with some apps that will enhance your mobile experience. Let me suggest some of the best of the free apps. Of course, everyone will have their own list, but here are my 5 favorites that I think most ...

Intuit to deliver Quicken update for Lion compatibility

by Mel Martin (Dec 22nd 2011 7:30PM)

Christmas from Quicken is coming pretty late, but it will be appreciated by many Mac users. The company has emailed users that it will finally offer a version of Quicken that runs under Lion and Snow Leopard. Intuit Personal Finance Group GM Aaron Forth wrote users today "I understand the ...

Gannett Co. reportedly buying iPhones, iPads for journalists

by Mel Martin (Dec 22nd 2011 7:00PM)

A leaked memo from media giant Gannett Company reveals plans to buy thousands of iPhones, iPads and other accessories to use in news gathering. The memo, from Gannett Newspaper President Bob Dickey says that the new devices "will help our journalists meet the demands of the new news cycle, one ...

Got a question? Try the Onion Magic Answer Ball

by Mel Martin (Dec 21st 2011 8:00AM)

Are you the kind of person who is constantly asking for advice? Do you need a little reinforcement before that big decision? The wonderful satirists at The Onion have just the app for you. It's called the Magic Answer Ball. I'd call it a parody of the old round balls you'd find at the gag store ...

Daily Mac App: Magic Window

by Mel Martin (Dec 19th 2011 9:00PM)

If you're tired of looking at that stale Mac OS desktop, think about adding Magic Window to your visual bag of tricks. Magic Window, available through the Mac App Store for US$2.99 (on sale) comes with 14 striking landscapes that change over time, so you see the skies change and the sun might ...

Daily Mac App: Photo Police

by Mel Martin (Dec 16th 2011 11:00AM)

Ever seen a photo and wondered if it is real or 'photoshopped'? Been to a dating site and wonder if the photo truly represents the person shown? Photo Police, a US$1.99 Mac app can often determine if a photo is real or fake. The app works by looking at low-bit pixel data, which can reveal if an ...