Apps and Coffee

One of the great things about blogging is that you get to do it anywhere. For awhile I was using my iPhone to enter posts directly into the Blogger app, but I've found that it crashed too often for my comfort, so I'm taking a break from the app until they make some updates that address this issue. I'm tired of crying into my coffee while I try to remember all of the great things I had just written. (P.S. I've re-downloaded the Blogger app since they recently updated and it seems to be working just fine now! Thank you Blogger. June 2, 2013)

Now I'll just grab any old laptop, pop into a local Starbucks and write away for awhile between classes or on my way to an audition, casting session or meeting. I'm there right now and I wanted to do a post about one of my new favorite things - the Starbucks app on my iPhone.  It helps me LLC by allowing me to get my drinks quickly and get back to blogging, so I thought I'd share it here. (P.S. I also like peeing here, too, @LenaDunham @jtLOL and @MichelleMalkin. What's the BIG DEAL?)

I was resistant at first. I didn't get it. My Starbucks card is on my phone? Standing in line at a Starbucks one day, I saw someone else swipe their phone in front of the scanner and walk away, drink in hand. Meanwhile, I fumbled with my wallet, tried finding my credit card, dropped change on the floor, crumpled up my receipt and tried to put my card back in my wallet and my wallet back in my pocket as I tried to carry my hot coffee, spilling it on myself and the floor before I was able to get back to my seat. First world problems, right? But I'll tell you what, this app is pretty cool.

I downloaded the app to try it, then had trouble putting money on the card. After a few unsuccessful tries, it worked! The first time I used it, I was nervous. I felt like a little kid standing in the lunch line for the first time, not knowing how much change I had to pay the lunch lady and worried that she'd yell at me. But when I swiped my phone, ding, I was done and back to my laptop with no fumbling with my wallet, no dropping of change and no dripping of my coffee.

What I didn't know about the app is that you get lots of cool rewards for using it. Free apps, games, music downloads and refills. Once you reach the GREEN level, you get free refills on your coffee drinks. I won't go into all of the details about the policy here, but a great blog called Mo' Money explains it all very clearly. Mo' Money is great money saving blog and it seems like Liz is definitely LLC'ing! Please follow her on Twitter, too.

One of the coolest free apps I want to talk about this week is the 8mm Vintage Camera app. This app really makes your video looks like it was shot with an 8mm film camera. It was used in an Oscar-winning film by Malik Bendjelloul called Searching for Sugar Man. Here's a great article on Mashable about the film: http://mashable.com/2013/02/24/iphone-app-8mm/
The filters on this app are amazing. You can shoot video that looks like it is from the 20's, the 60's, the 70's, awesome washed out color looks like Peta, Sakura, XPro and an astonishing Black and White filter called Noir. You can even add in the sound of the movie projector or shoot silently like we used to.

My Dad had an 8mm camera back in the 70's and I still have some of the old film reels. We used to fire up the projector and show them to friends when they would come to visit. My favorite story about our 8mm films is when my younger brother threatened to show a film of me taking a bath to his friends when they came over. I sneaked into the film box and switched my reel with one of him using the potty for the first time. I wasn't there, but apparently he loaded up the film to show it and when it came on with him going to the bathroom, he screamed and ran out of the room! Funny memory. Here's a short 8mm film I made on my iPhone with this amazing app by Nexvio.

If you're looking to capture that nostalgic look and feel of 8mm film, I highly recommend this app. You can definitely LLC with this one! Send me some links to your videos and I'll share them in another post. Don't forget to follow me on Twitter @WaynePyle.

Oh, and if you like to support Kickstarter projects, check out THE CABIN SISTERS with Zosia and Clara Mamet @CabinSisters. Zosia and I were in the film Rhymes with Banana and Zosia is also on @GirlsHBO with @LenaDunham.