Best Decision - App Review

Making decisions can be an emotive subject.

This App enables you to reach objective decisions, taking a step by step approach.

Now for the ACIDS test:

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Although the App is intuitive, there is a 5 screen tutorial that will help you get started. Some examples are also there for you to play with.

The first thing, once you want to start the process, is to press the '+' and write in the potential outcomes/options. Taking a purchasing decision as an example, this would be the different items that interest you.

Having done this, you need to enter the criteria on which you will base your decision, as well as the weighting for each (this is a value between 1 (low) and 5 (high)).

Once you have completed that step, touching Criteria will bring up a screen on which each of your options, with each of the criteria is listed. You need to score these for importance (1-5) and each is handily started with a medium rating of 3 to make entry quicker (statistically).

As soon as you have completed the process, touching Verdict will bring up the result, showing the points gained in absolute terms, as well as percentage terms, for all your options.

If the answer doesn't suit you, or if you just thought of an alternative, you can easily go back, add or delete parameters, as well as alter scores (that is known as cheating).

Cost
The App costs $2.

Indispensability
This is a straightforward way to take the emotion out of decision making; you be the judge of indispensability.

Dependability
The App works well and is very clear. It is designed for the iPhone screen size but works in 1x and 2x modes on an iPad.

Security
The App is self-contained, so no concerns on this front.

ACIDS Test Rating:

Turn shades of grey into black and white!

To find out how the ACIDS Test works, click here.

You can get Best Decision here and support for the App here.

Happyness - App Review

What makes you smile?

Would you like to smile more often?

This App could well be just what you need.

Now for the ACIDS test:

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The interface is simple; choose from one of 6 colour coded icons that best describes your current mood.

This brings up a text box where you can enter some notes, together with three options:

Tick - this saves the entry as you see it at the moment
X - this does not save the last modification you made
Delete entry - self explanatory, and subject to user confirmation.

These notes are automatically saved to a calendar, where you can easily retrieve the information for any given day.

Another screen allows you to view a weekly, monthly, or all-time trend, as well as daily averages.

You can set up push notifications that will remind you to make an entry at any given time.

There is also a You Tube Video which will not only explain but make you smile as well...

Cost
The App costs a token $1.

Indispensability
Anything that reminds you of good times can only make you happier; your choice.

Dependability
The App works, although, as it is new, has not been tested over a long period of time. There is, however, no reason to expect anything but continuing reliability.

Security
This is a self contained App so without prima facie issues.

ACIDS Test Rating:

Happiness + Reminders = Happyness

To find out how the ACIDS Test works, click here.

You can get Happyness here and support for the App here.

Elephant Bites - App Review

Question: How do you climb a mountain.

Answer: One step at a time.

This App follows that methodology in helping you achieve your targets.

Now for the ACIDS test:

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You can start your project by tapping the '+' icon.

This enables you to name your 'elephant' and to give it a pachydermic icon.

The next step is to add a bite, and another, and another... then press Save when you have finished.

You will now have your task broken down into easy steps. Each step can be edited, reordered, completed (in which case it is greyed out with a line through it, and placed at the bottom of the list).. Individual bites can also be deleted (possibly a little too easily).

One you complete an entire project (elephant), you receive a trophy.

Cost
The App is free but you can add more sophisticated trophies by means of In-App purchases.

Indispensability
If you don't use some project management system, or a comprehensive planner, this could be a great App for you.

Dependability
Elephant Bites is an iPhone App which works in 1x and 2x modes on an iPad. It is easy to use but, be careful with deleting individual bites.

Security
Information is contained on your iOS device.

ACIDS Test Rating:

Project management, simplified.

To find out how the ACIDS Test works, click here.

You can get Elephant Bites here and support for the App here.

Gratitude Journey - App Review

There is a theory that creating and maintaining a journal leads to happiness.

this App takes things one stage further in making you grateful for what you already have.

Now for the ACIDS test:

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When you first start the App there are some simple instructions that neatly lead you to create your first entry (everyone has to start somewhere).

You are now on a screen with today's date (this can easily be modified via the scroll wheel) and you are prompted to enter something for which you are grateful, to which you can add a photo from within the App, or from your existing pictures. This is then assigned to a 'standard' category (Concepts & ideas, food, moments, people, places, things, wins & successes), or just make up your own.

having done that, press Save and you are invited to set up a reminder (this can also be done later). You can then elect for a daily reminder (set the time), gratitude gift (pop-up appears), lapse reminder (you are reminded after x days that you haven't made an entry).

Cost
The App costs $1.

Indispensability
For those of us who always want more, perhaps a gentle reminder of what we have already got should be compulsory.

Dependability
The 'dependability' is totally reliant on you; there are no problems with the App.

Security
The App can be password protected with a 4 number code.

ACIDS Test Rating:

Thank the developer for the App!

To find out how the ACIDS Test works, click here.

You can get Gratitude Journey here and support for the App here.

Boximize - App Review

Some Apps are 'different', and some Apps do an ordinary job in a different way.

Both note taking and databases could be considered 'standard' applications. There are many solutions available for note taking and (under iOS) a smaller number for databases.

This App combines the two.

Now for the ACIDS test:

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There is a sample file with the App names 'Movie Collection', which will give you a taste for the App, although it will also make you think of a database, rather than a note taking App.

Obviously, you want to get started using the App for real. The developers have provided you with 26 templates (Audio Notes, Business Cards, Car Maintenance, Contacts, Customers, Demo Fields, Diet Log, Donations, Equipment, Events, Exercise Log, Expenses, Home Inventory, Inventory, Issue Tracking, Items Sold, Member cards, Member List, Movie Collection, Notes, Products for Sale, Recipes, Student List, Task Assignments, Time Billing, Todo), together with the most important 'blank' for those who prefer to start from scratch.

If you choose to start with one of the templates, you will find that these are fully customisable through the settings (accessed with the 'i' and then 'settings'). You can not only change the form colour and icon (from a large list) but, vitally, edit the fields.

The field types are fairly varied (Audio recordings, Check box, Choices, Colour, Date, E-mail, Lists of items, Location, Notes, Number, Phone Number, Photo & video collections, Rating, Sketches and hand-written notes, Slider, Stopwatch, Text, Time, URL).

The great part about this is that the field type will also determine the field's behaviour; a URL field will allow you to open the page in Safari, an E-mail field will allow for automatic creation of a message... you get the idea. It also ensures that the correct data type is entered; for example, a date is a date.

Cost
The App costs $5 which is perhaps a lot for a note taker but, not much to pay for a database.

Indispensability
If you start using this App and like it then, it will be in daily use. It will probably even find it's place on your home screen dock.

If you are just looking for another way to take notes, it might be a sledgehammer to crack a nut.

From a database point of view, the real drawback is that it is restricted to one iOS device (at a time); there is no synchronisation.

Dependability
The App is elegant and very easy to use.

A minor criticism (or at least something not to my personal liking) is that, when adding fields, the list is in no particular order.

Security
The App is self-contained and has optional password protection.

ACIDS Test Rating:

Could become a home dock item for you.

To find out how the ACIDS Test works, click here.

You can get Boximize here and support for the App here.

Camera Smile Detection - App Review

What's your 'trick' for getting everyone to smile when you hake a photograph? It could be 'say cheese', pull a face, tell a joke...

This App detects when the magical smiles are present.

Now for the ACIDS test:

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The settings allows you to set various parameters including:

Manual - this is if you wish to manually detect smiles, rather than leave the App to its own devices; a little counter-productive really.
Smile Detection - this can be turned off
Eye Blink - ensure that only are people smiling but also have their eyes open.

You can choose either the front or rear facing camera

The App also allows you to then edit the photo that you have taken, including:

Filter (a choice of 13 from monochrome to chrome, via vignette)
Adjust (brightness, contrast, saturation)
Effect (spot, hue, highlight, bloom, gloom, posterise, pixelate)
Blur and focus; via a slider control and using the whole image or a circle or band (both adjustable)
Crop, either with a grid or freehand
Rotate and mirror, again with a slider control
ToneCurve with a graphical interface (very neat)

Cost
The App is absolutely free.

Indispensability
This is one of those Apps that you probably won't be using every day but you will find very useful to have in your armoury.

Dependability
In a way it's best to let the App 'do its thing' and have your iOS device and the App take care of the photo.

Security
Photos can be shared from within the App as a message, email, or Twitter.

ACIDS Test Rating:

Hopefully, an end to photos with glum looks and eyes shut.

To find out how the ACIDS Test works, click here.

You can get Camera Smile Detection here and support for the App here.