It’s no surprise to me that Facebook has mimicked MySpace in creating a diet version of their website.  Facebook Lite is now live, offering Facebook users an experience without all of the bells and whistles their regular Facebook has.  Facebook maintains that this is an effort to allow access to their website from slow internet connections and the fact that they’ve been testing the website in India makes that claim sound pretty accurate.  However, the lite version does more than just load at a faster speed.  Facebook became famous partly because of the absence of clutter.  This appeals to many people who just want to stay in touch with friends and not play Mafia Wars and Farmville.  I’ve heard a lot of people reluctant to join Facebook, or even use it because it seemed too complicated and they had just gotten comfortable with MySpace.  For loyal Twitter users who refuse to use the likes of Facebook and MySpace again, it could draw them back. 

But back to the whole premise of Facebook Lite.  Yes, I have the Facebook app on my iPhone; however, if I am sent an email stating someone commented on my status, I often just click the link which takes me directly to that comment so that I don’t have to go on a wild goose chase searching for the damn thing.  I like this feature, but Facebook bogs down my iPhone and sometimes even kills the browser altogether.  Trying to navigate through settings can be a nightmare.  The same thing goes for MySpace.  However, I am able to access the non-mobile version of Twitter without killing myself in the process.  I do hope that both MySpace and Facebook start sending their notification emails with links to the Lite and mobile versions so that I may choose which one I want to go to.  MySpace makes it damn near impossible to log into the regular web version from my phone, constantly telling me I need to log in over and over again.  Facebook has refused to log me in at times as well, but at least Facebook will take me to the comment whereas MySpace sends me directly to the page where I need to choose between the regular version and the mobile version, thus negating the purpose of clicking the link in the first place. 

I’m a regular user of Facebook and I don’t have any plans to switch to Facebook Lite, but I like it as an option for those who aren’t social media savvy and for those who have slow connections.  I may even decide to use it on my iPhone but the new version of the Facebook App has proved to be a big upgrade.  If they include the link on their notification emails, I’m sure I’ll be back.

Also, I just created a new page, so add me on Facebook.

I had briefly mentioned Loopt in a previous blog about my iPhone addiction.  Loopt is an app for the iPhone that allows you to update status messages which can be linked to Facebook and Twitter, and let other uses know where you’re located at the given time of update.  However, for 2 weeks, you can test the new background Loopt where the application will run constantly, allowing other users to see when you’re on the move.  However, after the first 2 weeks, Loopt will start showing up on your AT&T bill as a $3.99 charge.  I’d recommend you be very aware of who you give this access too, because as I mentioned before, this is a stalker’s dream!  If you should perhaps decide to let your friends know every move you make, the application will alert you if you have a friend that is close by so you can meet up for a Venti Mocha Frapp at Starbucks – which by the way, Loopt can help you find!

Loopt is available on most major carriers, and on various phones.  There are some non-invasive ads on the app which Loopt is currently working to make location based.  I’m very indecisive yet highly suggestible when it comes to dining out so I feel that these advertisements would actually help me if I was hungry!  It looks like a pretty functional idea, but I don’t see it going very far with a $3.99 monthly price tag.  However, I’m sure Loopt won’t be $3.99 for very long if they acquire some solid advertising deals.  When they recognize the power of advertisement and stop charging the users monthly fees, I think this app could become very popular.  GPS social media at its finest.  Also, don’t worry about your battery life, as the entire app isn’t actually running in the background.  I see this technology going far with the iPhone.

I think I may have found the best app there ever was for my iPhone.  As if my addiction wasn’t bad enough – they released Civilization Revolution for $9.99.  I don’t normally pay for apps, and if I do, they must be really worth it.  I did; however, pay $40 for one app for Netter’s Anatomy Flash Cards – which worked awesome with my Anatomy & Physiology I class.

I didn’t hesitate to snatch up this app and I must say it plays exactly the same as the Xbox 360 version!  It is easily my favorite console game as well.   It is a must have for the iPhone.  I love Civ Rev!

Sid Meier’s Civilization Revolution is a turn based strategy game that originated from the board game, Civilzation.  One game usually lasts about 3 hours, but back when I played the board game, we’d play the game over 3 or 4 days, sometimes.  You win by achieving Domination, Economic, Cultural, or Technological Victory.  You can play as various leaders and civilizations in history, each having special combat units and a special bonus ability, technology, or “Great Person.”  My favorite victory is a Cultural Victory but perhaps this is because I find it to be the easiest and quickest.  So, download the $9.99 app, and then if you love it like I do, get the game, and we can play together!

I got the iPhone 3G about a month after it was released. I was a 3 year long user of the Blackberry and was still using my Blackberry 7100G. I never thought I’d do away with my Crackberry. It was my lifeline. I found though, after purchasing the iPhone that the only thing I really missed about the Blackberry was BB Messenger. I’ve since gotten over this. My iPhone is with me at all times and has even been the cause of drama in my relationship and work! I’ve gotten so much better about it, though. My Gmail goes straight to my iPhone. I use the MySpace and Facebook apps religiously. My home page includes a direct link to CNN, my YouTube, LiveJournal, Twitterific, and WeatherBug apps. I swear by Crash Kart when I’m trying to get my fiance’s children to settle down. For football season (Go Bucs!) I love using Pro Football. I’ve recently developed an addiction to Storm8 strategy games. I use MMS Rescue which I love (the 30% of the time it actually works). When I’m really bored, other games like Wurdle, Word Warp, and Flood-It! are favorites of mine. I have not called a movie theater ever since I downloaded Now Playing. Then there are the really cool music apps Pandora, the internet radio and Shazam, the app that let’s you put the microphone up to a song playing and it tells you what song it is and by what artist! Most recently, I’ve downloaded Loopt – a stalkerish Facebook linked app but I haven’t been able to use it yet.

The ease of use of the iPhone is so simplistic, my 3 year old, soon-to-be-stepson, Stevie, and 5 year old soon-to-be-stepdaughter, Skyler love playing with it, and taking pictures. Granted, they’re not the best photographers in the world, but they try. I honestly don’t know what I would do without my iPhone. I’d go through some serious withdrawal, perhaps foaming at the mouth and having seizures. It is so much worse than my Blackberry addiction by far. I still love RIM, but until they can compete with the web browsing of the iPhone, I won’t be coming back! Besides, it’s the 1st Apple product I’ve been able to afford since my parents got me an Apple IIC at a yard sale when I was a little kid. Unfortunately, all I could really play on that thing was Strip Poker and I’m not sure my parents even knew that those pixelated boobies were on there. I’m sure I had some other games, but for some reason unbeknownst to me, that’s the one that stands out in my mind.

I know with the new software, there are so many new apps that I’m just dying to try out. Does anyone have any apps they can recommend to me and the rest of the world? Please comment and let me know!