Sync Your LinkedIn Contacts

I'm tired of my iPhone. I can't wait to stomp it to tiny bits. I know. I know. I KNOW. I am the ONE person on the planet who doesn't drink the "Steve-Jobs-fanboy-Kool-Aid". Shoot me.

I've had an iPhone for 20 months. All of them painful. Dropped calls. Crashing OS. Slow OS. You name it. My contract is up in November and I have been salivating over the new Android phones. Specifically the new Captivate (AT&T) aka Fascinate (Verizon) aka Epic (Sprint). I'll be keeping my GSM technology and loving the high def video. It actually makes me want to watch a video on my phone. And what internet marketing person doesn't love the new frontier that is video content?

And the best part is I won't have to give up all my handy little apps. Consider this new little nugget called ConnectIn developed by Rdio which will allow me to sync my LinkedIn contacts (and I have over 400 right now) via my phone. It will sync

- Phone numbers

- Status Updates

- Photos

- Headlines

It will even let me open a profile in my browser. The app is only $0.99 and available now via The Market. I think this will be one of the first apps I try when I get my shiny new phone. It will make keeping my business contacts updated THAT much easier.

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• Why Now's the Best Time to Buy a Business Smartphone (nytimes.com)

Using Your Smartphone In Lieu of A Hotel-Room Key

With applications for a variety of functions such as Ocarina [turns your iPhone into a musical instrument], Zagat to Go [iPhone app for upscale dining establishments reviews] and Ecorio [an Android app that estimates your carbon output throughout the day] the latest we can add to the list is a hotel room key application by Open Ways. How exactly would this app work you may ask? Testing will begin at two Holiday Inns which will provide guests with the ability to unlock their hotel room doors via their smartphones rather than having to check in at a front desk. A sensor on the hotel door will unlock it upon placing a received confirmation email up to it.

Considering all of the various types of applications available for our iPhones,
Androids and Blackberrys, this application will most likely not come as a surprise to you -- there is even an iPhone app to drive your car. Although the app is receiving mixed reviews, I still feel it will be extremely popular for a segment of people; although, that is if hotels are willing to invest in the technology.

Personally, I would love this application to avoid the lines at a front desk. I do understand that some would miss the human interaction or perhaps feel apprehensive of the technology. Would this application appeal to you?

image credit: blmurch