Sometimes when I’m traipsing around Japan, I think to myself, “Brandon, you should really send your mother a postcard or something.” But why would I wanna kill a tree when I could just send one electronically. So where to turn? E-cards? I’ll do you one better: Postman on your iPhone.
I picked up Postman when 1.0 dropped. It showed lots of promise, but its UI wasn’t totally polished. Now with 2.0, Postman really delivers. (OMG, did you see my joke?)
The tasty UI in 2.0 is designed by David Lanham (Iconfactory) and Phill Ryu
Postman allows you to use photos from your camera or library to create beautiful postcards. The app comes with lots of themes you can apply, but I usually just stick with my bare photos. You can add text to go above the photo; which can have size, font, and color adjusted. With this new release, you can also move the text anywhere in the frame by dragging it with your finger. Also, thanks to OS 3.0, you can use your postion in Google Maps for the front of your card. Once your photo’s set, hit the backside of the card, and you can append the weather and a longer message. The app uses your phone’s region setting and puts a country stamp over the postage as well. Future updates will auto-update that stamp with GPS location.
Now, you’ve got this thing looking pretty, but it does you no good sitting on your phone. Thankfully, Postman lets you share in a myriad of ways. You can save it to your camera roll, email it, post to Postman’s site, tweet it, share on facebook, or post to your Tumblr page. It’s got all the major ones covered. (No one cares about Posterous, sorry.)
The only thing that I’ve found myself wanting changed about the app is the weather menu [screenshot]. It uses that wifi selection menu that Apples seems to think is a good idea, and since Postman runs in landscape view, the menu is way too cramped and it’s hard to choose the weather icon. The developer told me that they aren’t happy with it either, and will be changing the weather buttons to look like the card theme selector buttons. That would really make the UI just about perfect.
If you want to share your travels, or just want to make pretty things to send to friends and family, you can’t go wrong with Postman. Besides, it’s only a buck at the app store.
Giveaway
Lastly, three lucky SA readers will win a promo code courtesy of the developer, Taptivate. One code is reserved for a lucky tweetback, while two codes are for lucky commenters. All you have to do is tell us who you would send out your first postcard to. Standard giveaway rules apply.
{ 20 comments… read them below or add one }
I would send my postcard to my mom n dad ><
really miss them
I’d probably send a postcard to a friend who’s finally about to visit Japan. Maybe a pic of the nightscape of Tokyo for a little sneak preview.
Sounds like a great app, though.
I would send the first Postcard to my grandparents. They love getting emails of pictures and would love to receive pictures on a Postcard like this of the Great Grandkids.
I would send the first Postcard to myself.
I too am currently in japan, studying
And I would send my first postcard to my mom and little sister who I have not seen for 11 month.
I’d send it to my niece. I only get to see her a couple of times a year, but she loves hearing about the places my wife and I travel to.
I had to literally fight for my holidays against all others in my company. Of course, I would send the first Postcard to them.
I would send the first one to momz.
Second thought I may send the first one to Milind to post as a user review.
Ideally I’d send the first one from a beautiful tropical paradise to my boss with the message that I was never coming back to work!
If I had this I would send my first one to my wife, as I am currently on the road and wish she were here.
Thus time this will help me to give ecards to my grand ma
@Greg: Hmm. I take precedence over your grandparents huh! That will surely swing the giveaway in your favour.
In other thoughts, Postman 2 looks like a deadly app. Well done Tapivate! Hope to win a copy myself.
To my sister and grandparents.
I would’ve sent one to my grandparents. My grandfather has got an iPhone too, and he would be amazed of the app!
I’d send it to my grandmother – she loves things like this.
No question – my wonderful wife.
I’d send to my mom.
Hopefully, I would be sending my postcard from a fabulous vacation locale, to my boss, telling her that I quit, possibly elaborating on what she could do with the job. Oh, wait a minute, I forgot: I’m self-employed. Dang!
Saw it: “Postman really delivers. (OMG, did you see my joke?)” Love it.
I would send a postacard to my colleagues from my vacation