The Mobile Manager for Netflix allows you to add, remove, move and watch trailers for movies in your Netflix Queue. I just did a little bit of testing on the app and it worked just like you think it would. I was able to remove a few movies, move a movie around in my queue, and add a new movie to my queue easily and all in about 5 minutes time.

The preview trailers are surprisingly clear and even while I was in a low signal area I still was able to buffer enough to watch the trailer well enough.

This is a free app from Microsoft but you have to have Microsoft Livean account with to download it. I also had to fill out a small form before I could download the app (I didn’t see any way to skip that even though I had a Live account). For all the prerequisites you have to do you’ll be ready to add and remove movies from Netflix at a moment’s notice!

In about 2 and a half hours MobileCrunch is going to start giving away iPhone app promo codes. They say that there will be promo codes for “dozens of applications, each worth anywhere from 99 cents up to $30 bucks.”

Basically it’s going to go down like a Woot-off: the promo code will stay up on the site until they give away all they have for that app, then the next one will show up. If you want to grab a few free apps make sure that you keep refreshing this page from 9 AM EST until they are done, because once the codes are gone they are gone forever.

You have a stylus on your touch phone but if you are like me you don’t want to have to pull it out to click one hard-to-touch button and then put it away. No, it would be much easier if you could just have a mouse pointer for a moment, click that button, then hide the mouse so you could get back to work.

Well Innovisoft thought of that idea and put it in an easy-to-use app that is simple and to the point — VirtuaMouse One-Hand. Just download and install, set the view/hide mouse button, and run the application and you are ready to roll. The mouse moves with the directional buttons and you click with the Ok/Enter button.

You can download a free, 30-day trial of VirtuaMouse from the Innovisoft site, and you can purchase your own copy of the application for just US$19.95.

Twitter really wasn’t my thing when it came out, I didn’t understand what the big deal was about telling everyone what you were doing. I think it’s a misconception now, though, as I read/hear people talking about how they don’t think it would be fun for them (or others) to tweet about what they are eating or where they are currently spending their time (especially if it involves a porcelain throne). I also think it’s a matter of how many friends you have and how active they are, but it also depends on HOW you tweet. I was bored with sending in tweets by text message and I wasn’t able to get every person on my follow list on my phone so I went in search of a Twitter client for my phone.

I downloaded a few different clients and finally came upon PockeTwit on the Twitter Fan Wiki, which is quickly becoming my favorite client. Out of the handful of clients that I tried (almost all of the clients that were for Windows Mobile) PockeTwit was the only one that actually ran and performed as I expected it to. The application is quick and updates even when it is “minimized,” which is what the developers called it when you close the program but don’t quit it.

The only drawback to running PockeTwit, as with any app that is constantly checking for updates on a server, is that the battery drains quite fast. Normally I can go all day on a charge (that’s a full 12+ hour day) but with PockeTwit running I’ve had to charge it after 8-9 hours, it’s not a huge thing seeing that I am normally driving home from work around then, but it is much different than I’m used to and could become a nuisance.

PockeTwit is freeware provided under the MIT License.

One of the most popular posts on this blog is the one about I-nigma and it really goes to show that people think that 2D barcodes are the next big thing. Apparently Microsoft thinks the same thing because they just released their own 2D barcodes and reader — Microsoft Tag.

Instead of the usual black blocks to make up the barcodes, Microsoft used multicolored triangles, making the barcode smaller in comparison to other 2D codes.This allows Tags to be used in a wider variety of places, unlike it’s brother the QR code. These Tags can be used to quickly link a user to a web address, send a vCard, send text, or even place a call, all with your phone’s camera. The applications are endless!

Microsoft wasn’t stingy with their product, either, once you download and install Tag (you can only install by visiting http://gettag.mobi on your phone at the moment) by visiting gettag.mobi on your phone or by sending the link in an SMS, you can create your own Tags for your print or online projects.

Microsoft Tag is freeware from Microsoft, creating Tags is also free. Here’s one I made, just open TagReader on your phone and point your camera at it, and then let the Tag do all the work!

So you want to impress your friends with your Windows Mobile phone and the Android phone just keeps showing you up every time you are out. Well not today, friend, today you have something up your sleeve that rivals even the best of Android’s apps. Today you can show off your mad skills and show your buddy an x-ray of his hand. And Portable X-Ray makes it possible.

It’s not a real X-Ray app, that should be the first thing I say in this review, actually. It’s just a video that plays of an x-ray of a hand and you tell your phone when to pause the video and continue playing it. Here’s the video of it from Youtube.com

As you can see, the x-rayer moves the phone over the x-rayee’s hand and presses the camera button to start and stop the movement on the screen. Play the video again now and watch his fingers. See him press the button? That’s the key. Well, that and knowing the direction the video will scroll next. Download the app and  make sure to install eVB included in the RAR file (a plugin from Microsoft that you will need to actually run the app). Then practice, practice, practice!

I showed this to my wife last night and she was floored, she actually thought it was x-raying my arm! It is really that life-like and people will think you are really doing it when you trick them. Just remember, a good illusionist never tells the secret to his trick.

Protable X-Ray is freeware and made for educational purposes only.

Apparently I need to start off my contests a little slower, after a thin turn-out for the SyncMate contest I have decided to make it a little easier. So, in the spirit of the New Year I am going to give out the 3 SyncMate licenses just for posting a comment. I will randomly choose the winners.

Last day to comment and win is January 14, 2009.

About 3 weeks ago I reviewed an app for Windows Mobile called slydial that let you call directly to someone’s voicemail. Today, MobileSphere announced that slydial is available for free on the iPhone App Store.

Here’s the full Press Release.

Dec 15, 2008 09:00 ET
slydial iPhone Application Now Available

iPhone App Allows Users to Go Straight to Voicemail in One Simple Step

BOSTON, MA–(Marketwire – December 15, 2008) -

News Facts

MobileSphere, a leading-edge provider of global wireless communications solutions, today announced the availability of its slydial application for iPhone. Due to the rapid popularity of slydial, MobileSphere developed this free, downloadable iPhone application that lets you instantly voice message anyone in your iPhone address book with a U.S. mobile phone number in one simple step. The slydial App is now available for free download at the App Store in iTunes.

slydial has hit a nerve in the marketplace, indicating the value of this effective and practical messaging service that offers a voice alternative to text messaging. Whether saving time, avoiding an awkward conversation or returning business calls, slydial has proven to have universal appeal. Now, with the company’s smartphone Apps, slydialing will become easier than ever, increasing the use of this sly, yet practical, service.

Don’t have an iPhone? Applications are available for BlackBerry and Windows Mobile smartphones too. Download and install the slydial application of your choice on your smartphone by visiting the slydial Apps page.

Don’t have a smartphone? Have no fear; slydialing can still be an easy-to-use service. Join MYslydial for free and become a registered user to take advantage of advanced features for quick and easy slydialing, including Dial By Name and Click 2 slydial.

To slydial, dial 267-SLYDIAL (267-759-3425) and follow the voice prompts. slydial connects to all major U.S. wireless carriers and calls can be placed from any mobile or landline phone.

- Quote, attributed to Gavin Macomber, Executive Vice President, Marketing and Business Development, MobileSphere

“Based on feedback from our user community, it was evident that our iPhone and other smartphone users have been looking for ways to simplify their slydial experience. The slydial app was an obvious next step. Our downloadable applications provide quick and easy ways to instantly voice message any address book contact.”

- Quote, attributed to Clayton Wakida, Honolulu, HI, slydial iPhone App user

“Extremely useful App that every iPhone user should get and everyone else will want!”

- Quote, attributed to Bruce Wagner, New York City, NY, slydial iPhone App user

“I called 40 friends and family in only 30 minutes on Thanksgiving Day and left each of them a super-sweet personalized greeting. How long would it take you to call 40 friends and family without using slydial? And now, with the iPhone App, it’s one-touch calling which is brilliant!”

About MobileSphere

MobileSphere is a leading-edge provider of global wireless communications solutions leveraging the migration from fixed to mobile communications. MobileSphere focuses on providing mobile messaging and telephony solutions to service providers, enterprises, universities and consumers. Founded in 2003 and headquartered in Boston, Mass., MobileSphere’s products and solutions include slydial™ for mobile voice messaging, Joopz™ for web-to-mobile text messaging and CellularLD™, TravelCall™, Utalk™, CarrierILD™ for international wireless long distance. For additional information, visit www.mobile-sphere.com.

NOTE: Apple and iTunes are registered trademarks and iPhone is a trademark of Apple, Inc.

The trademark BlackBerry is owned by Research In Motion Limited and is registered in the United States and may be pending or registered in other countries. MobileSphere is not endorsed, sponsored, affiliated with or otherwise authorized by Research In Motion Limited.

All other trade names and trademarks are the property of their respective holders.

The people at Eltima Software have graciously supplied me with three (3) licenses to give away to my readers. But I’m not one for just giving things out, I like a little fun involved. So I’m going to have a contest to determine who gets the licenses.

It’s a simple contest, one that involves a bit of work, but it won’t be too hard. All you have to do is send in a picture that has “ThisMobileLife.com” somewhere in it. It can be a picture you took, a photo you made with Photoshop, or even a drawing; anything, as long as it has “ThisMobileLife.com” in it. Entries will be accepted until December 24th at midnight, you have three weeks. That should be enough, right?

Send all contest entries to contest@thismobilelife.com.