In case you have been living under a rock, you should know Apple is about to raise the stakes in the ‘post PC World’ with it’s new iCloud service.

Mark Millan, a technology reporter for CNN, writes ‘Consumer technology giants are battling to provide the place where you store your files, and Apple is not about to be left out. Capping a slew of software announcements on Monday, Apple unveiled iCloud. The free service lets users synchronize documents, photos and applications between Apple devices over the Internet.’

Read Mark’s full article on CNN

After a long day at work, do you ever wish you could instantly know what local places are having the best happy hours? San Diego entrepreneur Noel Churchill has created an app specifically for this purpose. According to a recent article in the San Diego Union Tribune, “Happy Hour Finder” is a new iPhone app designed to provide users with happy hour locations, information on specials, hours, addresses, and directions. These details can be useful in finding the best deals because many happy hours start at different times or are limited to certain days of the week.

Churchill partnered with hundreds of local bars and restaurants to produce the app. As Churchill says, ‘We are a local business working hard to promote other local businesses.”

The app also now works across the United States, having secured participating restaurants and bars throughout the country. “Happy Hour Finder” is available on the App Store. Best of all, it is free for users because it generates money through paid advertisers.

Read the full article for more on the “Happy Hour Finder,” or check out a demo on Churchill’s site.

According to a recent article in the San Diego Union Tribune, visitors to Coronado Island (San Diego, CA) will soon see new additions to popular points of interest. Coronado officials are testing the effectiveness of QR codes on tourists’ and residents’ interest in local landmarks. QR codes are used by anyone with a smartphone and a QR code reader app. They are designed to “point” a user to a specific website that provides information about the specified object. In this case, when someone uses their smartphone to take a photo of the QR code for a particular landmark, the browser on their smartphone displays a website that provides more details about the landmark.

The Coronado QR codes are currently in place for the Coronado Tennis Center, Rotary Plaza, and the Glorietta Bay Promenade. The QR code at the Coronado Tennis Center (which is under currently construction) directs phone users to a website that describes the work being done, how much it is expected to cost, and the expected completion date. The Rotary Plaza QR code directs users to a site that advertises their free Wi-Fi.

City Manager Tom Blair decided to bring QR codes to Coronado after attending a presentation on their uses. If the test proves successful, the city hopes to expand this marketing tool to include other places throughout the San Diego area.

QR codes have been in use in Japan for almost a decade, but surprisingly they have not been popular in the U.S. until recently. Target is actually one of the first U.S. retailers to begin incorporating QR codes their business by using them in sales catalogs to provide customers with more information about products and toys.

Read the full article for more.

The iPhone is one of the most popular smartphones on the market, and much of its popularity is due to its App Store. The App Store allows iPhone, iPad, and iPod users to download applications for free or for a cost. These apps range from business apps to games and entertainment apps.

One app in particular is starting to generate a lot of buzz. This app is Talking Tom Cat. Created by Outfit7, Talking Tom Cat is a fun, entertainment app that allows users to interact with a 3D cat on their iPhone. You can interact with Tom by petting, poking, punching and tail pulling. Each action will get a different reaction from Tom. These range from Tom purring to yelling OUCH! If you poke or punch him too many times, he will fall to the floor dizzy. If left alone for too long, Tom will begin to yawn or sneeze to get your attention. Additional props, such as a glass of milk, also surround Tom.

This simple interaction is amusing, but the real value of Tom is his ability to mimic everything said to him. Tom records what is said and replays it in a humorous cat voice that varies in pitch based on the voice of the person being recorded. Whenever Tom is recording, he will turn a listening ear and a paw to the screen.

This feature gets even better by allowing you to record up to 30 seconds of Tom in action and send it directly to Facebook, YouTube, or send a direct email of the video. Sending this video to a friend is sure to get a few laughs. This fun and entertaining app is free to download and is a must have for people wanting to liven up their iPhone.

Check out Talking Tom Cat for yourself.