SMC Ed.
Latest posts by SMC Ed. (see all)
- Updated Topic: Using Social Media During a Tragic Event - May 9, 2013
- Your Blog Sucks: Business Blog Blunders - April 30, 2013
- Social Media Across Borders: 3 Rules for International Business - April 25, 2013
By Matt Goodlett
We’re rapidly surpassing the age of backpack journalism for the more compact era of “pocket journalism” aided by the iPhone and its near limitless apps. The iPhone isn’t just good for procrastinating on assignments while playing Angry Birds anymore, it’s a tiny journalism tool with big possibilities complete with audio and video capabilities. Here’s a quick round-up of 10 iPhone apps and accessories for time-crunched journalists.
Before we begin, there is one bit of hardware that you’ll definitely need. An external battery, or charger is a necessity. Remember those days when you were still using a tape or digital recorder to capture quotes. After forgetting to pick-up fresh batteries, I remember a few times when I poured sweat as I eyed the power bar dwindling, hoping that the interview would not outlast it. With that one caveat here’s the list:
- Any police scanner app is invaluable for reporters on the cops beat. A decently rated police scanner app that seems highly rated is 5-0 Police Scanner Lite. If you need breaking crime news there’s the solution.
- Dragon Dictation allows you to use your iPhone as a voice recorder. There are plenty of other apps that perform this function, but Dragon Dictation then converts the speech to text. Driving home from covering an event, a journalist could dictate the story to themselves and have the groundwork laid by the time they set foot in the office. I would definitely give it a once over for editing purposes, but this is a tool that can cut back on pesky transcribing. You can also send texts, tweets, and emails using the app.
- CoveritLive isn’t just a clever nickname. It describes an app that allows users to stream live video and audio content. It also helps with social media in a live environment where you can approve comments, manage Tweets and publish commentary in real-time.
- iMovie has long been the introductory video editing software for Mac, but the iMovie app brings the goods to the iPhone. The benefit is the ability to edit short clips before posting to Vimeo, Facebook or Youtube.
- Tweetdeck makes the task of sifting through Tweets simpler. Filtering messages by columns and allows you to create groups while managing multiple accounts at a time. When news breaks on Twitter, Tweetdeck makes it easier to find it.
