It appears we are amidst a paradigm in technological development. Initially, technology has been designed to meet the fast increasing needs and desires of the consumer – thus enhancing efficiency in our current lifestyle. The rise in applications "changing" the way in which we exist, interact, work, play and even relate to others, is worth acknowledging. Seemingly the hottest item that is using technology to change our lives in recent times would have to be the iPhone and the never-ending range of Applications that can be easily downloaded for it.

One of the most enjoyable aspects of the iPhone is the enormous amount of applications, or as they are known now, 'apps' that are available. Although the endless amount of apps is fabulous and makes design life and work more interesting, trawling through all the categories can be very time consuming and frustrating.

To illustrate the breadth of scope to which the iPhone’s capabilities presently offer, we explore the intricacies of two very defining apps, and just how they are moving and shaking our day to day.

A recent article in The Age covered the development of the iPhone "I am safe" application by Melbourne’s Tim Hine. Controversially inspired by the disappearance of local Melbourne girl Britt Lapthorn whilst on her OE in Croatia, Hine developed an application that not only acts as a "Panic Button", alerting a preset of 5 family and friends via voice message or sms, but also records and tracks all sound and movement of the user form the point of activation onwards. For around $3.90, "I am safe" increases a sense of peace of mind for users and they're loved ones alike, and provides additional evidence for authorities in the occurrence of an trouble, changing the way in which we gather evidence along with the very landscape of surveillance as we know it.

How does this change the way we live you might ask? We need to ask ourselves if this will effectively eliminate a large fraction of fear and concern in parent's minds as their young adults venture out for a night on the town, or wander the streets of Marrakesh in the small hours whilst on their OE? It is with no doubt that the knowledge your loved one holds in their pocket a device with such capabilities provides some rest to a worried mind. Additional is the greater sense of security that is felt by the user as they jog through a darkened park in Carlton or hail a cab in the middle of an unfamiliar suburb... or indeed, another country.

My next question is – how can they be sure Susie or Bobby has their phone with them? And what happens when the battery dies or one of Bobby's drunk mates fool around with his phone as a practical joke. Not funny. Certainly the application isn't without it's flaws and it's efficiency is directly proportional to the hand which holds it. Literally.

This application is fabulous for the percentile that can afford to spend $1000 on their mobile phone, but is there room to adapt this technology for the masses? It would certainly be a handy feature to my little Nokia number, and I can definitely count 5 people that care about my well being at regular intervals. We need to understand that with mass distribution comes an increased sense of surveillance. Are we opening ourselves up to further unwanted tracking by entrepreneurial telemarketers and salespeople? Being listed in the regional phone book already has it's downsides. Will our right to sweet sweet solitude be lost forever more? Just how low will YOU bow...?

On a lighter and more industry savvy note, the way in which we do work is evolving just as quickly. The dream of a mobile career and "working smarter, not harder" seems to be made a reality by recent developments in industry friendly applications. As many designers are enriching their design work and life with new technologies, Apple's iPhone is proving to be a major weapon in most designers arsenal!

The fundamentals of client liaison, face to face briefing and even adjustment to time factoring in correspondence for changes made and approval within the design process are potentially shrinking in magnitude, as the digital community arm themselves as ready and able at any hour of the day. Business has the potential to move faster and grow larger in a fraction of the time.

With instant access to the internet to check those last minute emailed changes from clients to browsing endless websites for artistic stimulation and ideas, the iPhone is proving to be very useful amongst the design industry.

We have done a little searching of our own and have found some great websites that weed out the not so good apps and post the useful apps for all of us designers from a Pantone swatch to a lite version of filemaker called Bento. Here is a few websites that list some great apps to make your work that much easier and take your studio on the road wherever you go:

http://www.moonsaildesign.com/branding/top-10-free-iphone-apps-every-designer-must-have/
http://www.creativepro.com/article/iphone-apps-designers
http://www.sitepoint.com/blogs/2009/06/15/40-iphone-applications-for-designers/
http://www.designworkplan.com/design/iphone-apps.htm

Perhaps we're only steps away from internal micro chip tracking systems, a sort of back up hard drive for attributes the human mind and body simply doesn't possess? My mind boggles with the lifestyle enhancing apps I could add to that little gadget and the problems it would solve... Sonar, GPS, iTunes, infra red, Google (would definitely increase my IQ) and even x-ray!!

It is certainly without a doubt Apple hosting an highly influential platform of opportunity and change in our modern world. It is debatable that they are in fact changing the landscape of business in the western world, and as globalisation moves, the entire planet!

Got an app that you would like to recommend? Email us and we'll publish your recommendation in an upcoming Xpose