Classic Note - App Review

Were you around when the Mac(intosh) was first launched?

Do you remember the excitement at a radically different PC (and that expression had then been hijacked by Microsoft and IBM)?

This is a note App for you nostalgia buffs.

Now for the ACIDS test:

Aesthetics
This is very much a tongue-in-cheek App, and takes you back 30 years.

The main part is the note taking part which is accessed with the New button. Notes can be saved in a list and edited, and that's about it.

The Tools menu gives you access to three items.

Calculator
This is as simple as it was on the original Macintosh (the one with a smiley face, 3.5" 'floppy' drive, and the different look).

Fortune
An uplifting phrase is displayed

Wrangler
This gives you access to a game titled 'Catch the Dogcow'; I haven't got the faintest idea of what it does.

Cost
The App costs $1; an inexpensive bit of nostalgia.

Indispensability
Although using an App to take notes in some way is bound to be an every day occurrence, this is perhaps somewhat limited.

Dependability
The App works as expected... with the exception of the game, which is only for clever people.

Security
The lack of connectivity 30 years ago made security of little concern. This App replicated that appreciation as well.

ACIDS Test Rating:

Nostalgia ain't what it used to be....

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

You can get Classic Note here and support for the App here.

Pickle - App Review

Don't you wish there were an easy way to copy and store (in a logical manner), all those images that you see in your daily surfing?

Pickle does just that.

Now for the ACIDS test:

Aesthetics
Once you have downloaded the App, you don't start copying from within the App... because the image you want to 'pinch' is in Safari.

So, open Safari and, as soon as you see an image you like, put your finger on it and hold. You will receive the option to 'Copy' (amongst others); choose this. You should now get a notification "Pickle: Copying Success".

So now, you can easily copy those images; the next part is in getting them organised. All you need to is go to Pickle and scroll to the bottom of the folder list on the left and press the +; now enter a folder name and pick a colour. Your images are on the right of the screen and can be dropped into the selected (make sure it is selected first, indicated by the coloured rectangle to the left of the folder).

You can also add photographs, either from your camera roll, or from within the App.

You now have a library of images.

Cost
The App costs $3.

There are a few additional patterns for your folders (all fairly basic really); some are included, and some can only be obtained with a like on Facebook, or mention on Twitter. I'm not sure this is really appropriate for a paid App.

Indispensability
This is a simple way of ordering images; if that's what you need then, this is a straightforward way of achieving it.

Dependability
The App works with all iOS devices running iOS 6.0, or later.

The iPad version display is either iPhone screen size or you can use the 2X button to fill the screen.

Security
This is a self-contained App with Dropbox synchronisation and four digit pass code (optional).

ACIDS Test Rating:

A useful addition to the standard iOS 'Photos' App.

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

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

Quotes Folder - App Review

I wish I'd said that... you know those remarks that make you think, smile, react.

This App gives you tonnes of them.

Now for the ACIDS test:

Aesthetics
There are a number of ways to use the App:

Random - tap to get a quotation

Daily - receive a timely quotation, at a time of your choice

Personal - add your own favourite citation.

You can set font sizes, colours, language (English, French, German, Italian, or Spanish).

The i button takes you directly to the Wikipedia page of the author.

You can easily add any phrase to your favourites.

The App makes itself all the more enjoyable due to its clean lines.

Cost
This represents a huge amount of information for a mere $1.

Indispensability
It's not so much that you 'have to have' the App, just that life is more enjoyable with it... and you will learn lots of facts, just by 'being tempted' to take a look.

Dependability
The App works, as expected.

Security
You can share content via Facebook and Twitter, as well as Email and message.

ACIDS Test Rating:

Quotations with background.

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

You can get Quotes Folder here and support for the App here.

WriteRight - App Review

When it comes to writing, the world seems to be split into three types of people:
1. I don't care about punctuation, grammar (isn't that one of my parent's mothers anyway), as long as people understand.
2. There are rules to writing and these need to be adhered to (oops, almost ending a sentence with a preposition); anything else is lackadaisical.
3. I can't read anyway, so who gives a (enter your favourite phrase).
It you fall into the middle category, you are going to love this App.

Now for the ACIDS test:

Aesthetics
To call WriteRight a text editor could well be the understatement of the digital age (well, nearly).
When you first open the App you are asked to choose between Spanish and English (US), in order to get the best out of the App. Don't be concerned about the US tag, it seems to work perfectly in UK English as well.
One of the particularly appealing aspects of the App is that you have plenty of space to type, with excellent spacing.
Just above the keyboard are some shortcuts to commonly used punctuation marks, in particular those that require an opening and closing (like this).
Where things get clever is that tapping any word will NOT ONLY bring up the usual iOS niceties but also synonyms and antonyms. This makes writing easier as inspiration is never far... as long as you know what you want to write about.
Although there are some buttons to allow you to preview your text in various formats, what you are actually saving is straight text. This has the advantage that, being bereft of formatting, you can beautify your text in whatever editor you prefer.
The App actually uses Markdown so that your text can easily become HTML code (and you can also be blissfully unaware that this is happening in the background).
Your work can be saved in iCloud, as well as the ubiquitous Dropbox.

Cost
The App costs $3 and is worth every penny.

Indispensability
If you care about, and take care with, what you write, this App will help you.

Dependability
The only thing that doesn't work perfectly is that, when searching for an antonym, if the word is not in the App dictionary, you get the message '... word you are searching is a word in Spanish...'.

The App seems to deal with carriage returns in a quirky way. This means that opening your notes in Notepad will result in sentences being contiguous.

Security
There are no issues with the App, just the usual proviso about iCloud and Dropbox.

ACIDS Test Rating:

Enables you to concentrate on content and let presentation take care of itself.

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

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

Superbars - App Review

Your iOS device allows for a certain amount of personalisation but, one could always have more.

This App gives you some added control over the look of your home screen.

Now for the ACIDS test:

Aesthetics
The first thing to do (and it is clearly stated on the instructions) is to go to your iOS Settings/General/Accessibility and turn 'on' the reduce motion switch.

You are now shown 23 different patterns; pitch any one of these fir your Home and/or Lock screens.

It is then time to personalise the experience. A slider allows you to alter the solid colour and the transparency, first the background, then the status bar, and finally the dock colour.

You need to give the App access to your photos to enable your first 'masterpiece' to be saved. Once this is done, accessing your photos and saving the wallpaper in the usual way will give you a more personalised home screen.

Cost
The App cost $3.

Indispensability
This is an App to improve your user experience, it can't really be described as indispensable.

Dependability
Don't be put off by the instruction to change some settings; it is very straightforward.

Security
The App is self contained and the access to your photos is only so that your backgrounds can be saved.

ACIDS Test Rating:

Personalised home screen (other than a photograph)

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

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