Discussed on my law site/blog:  HerringLaw.com

. . .  the GPS capability [evidently only available with a WiFi-3G iPad] is independent of both the WiFi and 3G.  The GPS works whether or not you're connected to the internet. 

A good thing to know as you travel!

Haven't had time yet to really work on all those pictures from France [1500 in number, total] but I did get a few uploaded to Flickr and hope to add more there or on my gallery site.

An impressive cathedral in the center of Valleta, Malta.  It has three images or paintings by the famous Italian artist, Caravaggio, one of which is a signed painting.  The interior of the cathedral is overwhelming in gold - too much for my taste, but certainly impressive.

Travel apps on the iPhone4

I reviewed the applications [373 strong so far] on my iPhone4 to see which were travel-related.  Those would not be the ‘whittle-away-time’ apps or the news or book readers, but apps with some utility if one is traveling.

First, just a note.  I was able to print a list of the applications on my iPhone4 and iPad by being in iTunes, selecting the Applications window [in main iTunes, not the device] and having all the app icons showing and hitting Print.  It’s like printing off a jewel case listing, but you can select how you want them to show and be printed.

I found the following applications on my iPhone4 [and on the iPad, sometimes].  Some aren’t of much use, some are helpful;  no warranties.  Most are available free, some for a charge at the iTunes Store. Some may require registration.  What they are for is pretty clear from the name given them or you can go to a review site and see which might be most useful.  The ones I use and like the best have an * :

AAA Discounts & AAA Roadside

AccuFuel & Gas Bag - to figure out fuel economy

*AccuWeather.com, The Weather Channel, Quakes & QuakeZones:  weather info

Compass HD & Vector Magnetometor, GPS Tracker

iCall Free VOIP, Truphone

iTranslate, Translation Station, Language Translator, myLanguage Translator Free

*Maps [part of the OS]

Traveler’s Check Lite:  Keeps lists of things to remember/know when you’re packing and traveling.

iTraveler, KAYAK, Travelocity

myConvert [unit converter],* Currency, CheckPlease Lite [tip calculator]

*Open Table, UrbanSpoon, Restaurant Nutrition, San Francisco [& other cities] ‘At a Glance” City Guide

Traveler’s Check Lite

TravelTracker Pro,* TripIt, TripCase

Trip Advisor, TripAssist [Expedia]

*Wi-Fi Finder, WiFi Scan

World Wiki, World View

Note the two signs in the upstairs windows.  They say "Dead End" - 

We took a weekend and drove to Southeast Iowa [photos from the cities/towns we visited are at my Flickr site.

A university town on a bright sunny lovely day.

Today (Thursday) started with light clouds, then it rained, then stopped but stayed grey and cool. Loads of walking, of course.

Venice on perfect sunny day, from San Giorgio

I decided to have more fun working with an image of gondolas using my color software to heighten some of the colors and effects:

We went to Padua for the opening of an exhibition of photographs from The Oxford Project  [more information at OxfordProject.com] curated by a friend, Amy Worthen, of the Des Moines Art Center.  We didn't have time to do it justice [we did see the Giotto frescoes, though] but here is one image, from the Palace:  

'Palazzo della Ragione' (The region’s Palace). This building has its origins in 1218, when the city of Padua constructed it because it needed a building for its court. In 1306 a new floor, the arcade and the ceiling were added. Unluckily the original decoration of the building (by Giotto) was destroyed in a fire in 1420.

from Padua on VirTourist

I took several images of these people talking in the corridor, out of the rain, as others went by them in the calle.  This one, I decided to have some fun using editting software to bring out some colors in the image, otherwise muted in the shadows.  

Even in the rain, Gondoliers roam the canals.  

on a cell phone, waiting for business to pick up.