Angle Meter PRO - App Review

Is that shelf level?

This App helps answer the question and others.

Now for the ACIDS test:

Aesthetics
The interface is basic, containing a representation with an imaginary line which is set as horizontal or vertical through a button.

The display then shows the angle both graphically and as a number.

The options allow you to use the camera, import a picture, as well as calibrate.

Cost
The App Costs $2.

Indispensability
It's a very good guide.

Dependability
The numerical vale is in whole degrees.

Security
You need to be more worried about the shelf.

ACIDS Test Rating:

Can easily be used as a guide.

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

You can get Angle Meter PRO here and support for the App here.

The Fourth Dimension - App Review

And now for something completely different... an explanation of the 4th dimension.

Now for the ACIDS test:

Aesthetics
The App is actually a series of screens that attempts to explain/demonstrate the 4th Dimension.

It includes an 'exercise' similar to the touching two fingers of opposite hands at arm's length and watching a sausage appear... you mean you haven't tried that.

Cost
The App costs $3.

Indispensability
If you don't understand the 4th dimension (join the club), then this might help...

Dependability
As started, this is a succession of screens so there isn't much to go wrong. The developers state 'If you're having trouble using The Fourth Dimension, please contact us via email and we will send a crack team of mathematicians to your domicile to investigate the matter and take whatever corrective action is necessary'; love it!

Security
This is a standalone App so there are no issues.

ACIDS Test Rating:

Brilliantly different.

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

You can get The Fourth Dimension here and support for the App here.

Mailbox - App Review

Another e-mail App is not necessarily the first thing on your wish list, although one that removes some of the shortcomings of the iOS App might be...

This App comes from the people at Dropbox, so be prepared for some interesting ideas.

Now for the ACIDS test:

Aesthetics
The first thing that needs to be done is add an account. This is currently limited to Google and iCloud (with promises of more to come).

You are now (optionally) taken through an interactive tutorial.

Your e-mails are listed as you are used to seeing them but, the handling is different (and much better).

Swipe right to archive an item, long swipe right to send to trash, swipe left to simply delay dealing with the message (and set when you want it to reappear in your inbox), long swipe left to add the message to a list.

Apart from the above-mentioned actions, the whole interface will remind you of the iOS mailbox you already know and love (or not).

Cost
The App is free.

Indispensability
If you want to send attachments, having created an e-mail (as opposed to wanting to send a file by e-mail, and then enter some text) then, this is brilliant. The only downside is the limited e-mail server support (Google and iCloud).

Synchronising with Dropbox also allows you to have your e-mail account in the same state on all your devices.

Dependability
The App works, just as one would expect from Dropbox.

Security
The App needs access to your e-mail accounts and optionally (although it really is a huge plus) Dropbox.

ACIDS Test Rating:

Better e-mail, by far... would be 5 Star with more e-mail accounts supported.

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

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

Delivered! - App Review

Some shipping companies keep you actively informed of the status of your parcel; many do not.

Life gets complicated when you are monitoring more than one shipment and keep having to jump from one site to another.

Enter 'Delivered!'.

Now for the ACIDS test:

Aesthetics
this really is simplicity itself. Press the '+' and enter the shipment number (code), name (whatever is appropriate for you), and the courier (or leave it at automatic).

The App then takes care of the rest.

You can use the 'Settings' wheel to set which notifications are received, the order, whether or not you want them grouped, whether you want your time tone or the time zone the package is located, and whether or not to display maps.

You now have an aggregated place for your deliveries.

Cost
The App costs $2.

Indispensability
If you only need to track one item, this is overkill otherwise, it is a great time saver.

The couriers covered are:

Aramex
Canada Post
Correios
Correos de España
DHL
DPD
FedEx
LaserShip
OnTrac
Royal Mail
UPS
USPS

Dependability
The App works on the basis of information supplied by couriers.

Security
You need to share your shipment information.

ACIDS Test Rating:

Multiple delivery time saver.

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

You can get Delivered! here and support for the App here.

Simplique - App Review

There are basically three options for the background to your iOS device:

- leave it as Apple intended
- use a photo from your collection
- personalise it as you see fit

Simplique helps you do the latter.

Now for the ACIDS test:

Aesthetics
The developer supplies a brief tutorial which is worth the few moments that it takes to complete.

You can now choose 2 photos (or take new ones) which will serve as your screen background, and save the new image.

All you now need do is go to Settings/Wallpaper and choose the image.

Very quick and very simple.

Cost
The App costs $2.

Indispensability
Seriously, not indispensable but, a bit of fun.

The fact that you cannot define various screen areas within the App is a disadvantage.

You could, of course, cut and paste (use paper if necessary), and create a background which you then photograph and use on your iOS device.

Dependability
The App works, within its limitations.

Security
You need to give the App access to your photographs but, that shouldn't be an issue.

ACIDS Test Rating:

Simple

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

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

Ping Analyzer - Graphical Network Ping - App Review

This App has nothing to do with table tennis; just thought I'd clear that up first...

A Ping is the length of time it takes for packets of data to reach a host.

A Pong is an awful smell.

Glad we've cleared that up... any confusion, that is.

Now for the ACIDS test:

Aesthetics
If you're a networking whizz then, you've no doubt already got all the tools you need but, for the rest of us, this makes for interesting data... or presumably also if you've forgotten your kit.

All you need do is enter an I.P. address (try 192.168.1.1, which has a more than fair chance of being your router) and watch what happens.

You have a graph of the time taken for individual Pings, as well as values for average, minimum, and maximum RTT (Round Trip Time), Jitter, Packet Loss (above 0% and there is a potential issue), Line Quality (perhaps just look at this and check for 5 thumbs up), Network MOS (4.10 being the best theoretical PC to PC call, and the chances are you will be seeing a higher score).

Cost
The App is absolutely free.

Indispensability
OK, you're not going to use this every day but what if you find that changing the position of a device from on the floor to on a table gives you better results... could have saved you a call.

Dependability
Let's assume that the results given are correct!

Security
Perhaps seeing how easy it is to connect with another device will have you concerned; that's not a bad thing.

ACIDS Test Rating:

Great tool for free.

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

You can get Ping Analyzer - Graphical Network Ping here and support for the App here.

System Monitor - App Review

So, just what is going on in your iOS device?

I'm a glutton for good graphics, so this App is worth a look.

Now for the ACIDS test:

Aesthetics
There are a number of options on the left of the screen, the rest of the real estate being used to display information, some of it in great graphics:

Memory
A neat 'speedometer' to show the percentage of memory in use, as well as digital readings for free and used memory.

Battery
A graphic of a battery with digital reading of charge left, as well as an indication of the time needed to recharge.

Processes
Presumably, this should list the processes currently running. You'd be amazed at how many there 'normally' are (including some of the names); unfortunately, this remained resolutely blank.

Disk Info
So, how much space have you left on your iOS device to add more? This again gives you graphical and digital representations.

Device Info
Detailed information on system, display, connection support, battery, physical, hardware features.

Cost
The App costs a nominal $1; you can double that by an in-App purchase of realtime graphs.

Indispensability
More for curiosity.

Dependability
As mentioned previously, the processes tab does not seem to function. There are also times when getting detailed information overwrites other parts of the screen, which then do not refresh.

Security
No issues detected during testing.

ACIDS Test Rating:

For the curious.

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

You can get System Monitor here and support for the App here.

WireShare - App Review

Like most people, you probably have masses of Apps on your iOS devices; each of those Apps then has content and finding it can be a bit of a chore.

Think of WireShare as a filing cabinet where you can keep pretty well anything.

Now for the ACIDS test:

Aesthetics
There are basically 2 aspects to this App:

Files Resource
This is where you get your files into the App. There is a myriad of possibilities such as Dropbox, Google Drive, OneDrive (was SkyDrive), Box, SugarSync, Baidu, FTP server, WebDav Server and others. You can also get files directly from the web, your camera roll, or via wi-fi transfer.

Files Available Locally
Once the files have been transferred to your iOS device (or to the App), all these files are available from within the App. The file type is really comprehensive: pdf, epub, txt, chm, key,numbers, pages, doc, docs, xls, xlsx, ppt, pptx, rtf, rtfd, htm, html, png, jpg, jpeg, gif, tif, tiff, bmp, tga, rar ,zip, tar, mp3, wav, m4a, aac, caf, mp4, mpv, m4v, mov, rmvb, rm, vob, asf, wmv, flv, avi, f4v, mpeg, mpg, ts, m2ts; that should keep you happy.

Cost
The App costs $4

Indispensability
The selling point for this App is that you can have many different things at your fingertips without the need to swap from one App to another.

Dependability
There wasn't enough time to test every single file type transferred but those that were worked fine.

Security
There is potentially a lot of file transfer so, as ever, be careful.

ACIDS Test Rating:

Information, centralised.

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

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

GSDfaster - App Review

The developer reminds us of the maxim espoused by Dwight D. Eisenhower: “What is important is seldom urgent and what is urgent is seldom important”. Whether or not President/General Eisenhower originated the phrase is irrelevant; what is important is that it is true.

Get Stuff Done Faster aims to help you decide which box to choose and hence prioritise properly.

Now for the ACIDS test:

Aesthetics
If you want to prioritise 'things' then, splitting them into the Important Urgent, Important Not Urgent, Not Important Urgent, and Not Important Not Important matrix is an excellent system.

You start by hitting the + and just throwing in everything, one item at a time. Each of these will automatically generate a Process. Whenever you feel like it, review the Processes and select the Important and Urgent on/off switches. In addition you can easily put these into individual buckets (there are some already set and you can easily add/edit/delete these) and optionally assign due dates as well as tags. Especially if you are getting started, turning on the 'Eisenhower Decision Tip' option will help you ensure that you answer appropriately. Then touch the Process icon; your items to be processed will reduce each time you do this.

You've now got a counter on individual buckets, as well as a Due Dates counter.

Cost
Unbelievably, this App is absolutely free, $0.

Indispensability
Everyone needs to be organised; GSDfaster helps you get some discipline into your life.

Dependability
The App works as expected, just a minor niggle that the help is only available on-line.

Security
Dropbox sync is supported.

ACIDS Test Rating:

There's now no excuse for not prioritising.

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

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

CleanUp Suite - App Review

Over time, our contact lists become clogged up with rubbish. One of the main causes is simply duplicates. It's so easy to add a contact on your iPhone, then suddenly add the same person because you got their address on your iPad, and then lots more information because you happen to be using a PC at your desk. Unless you're extremely well organised (and have an excellent memory), you'll end up with duplicates.

CleanUp Suite aims to help you out.

Now for the ACIDS test:

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In order to use the App you, obviously, need to allow access to your contacts. If you agree to the privacy policy, let the App do its thing.

You will then be presented with a screen displaying total contacts (this is the same number as before you started), contacts after you clean, full duplicates, and partial duplicates; adding the last 3 numbers together should, of course, give you the headline number.

You are then invited to review duplicates. This will present you with a list with all selected; it's probably easiest to use the 'Filter' at the bottom right and select 'Full Duplicates'. You can now check a sample (or all if you are a real Luddite) to confirm that these are really duplicates, then select 'Merge (top right). Your contacts will now be reduced by the duplicates.

It's now worthwhile running the exercise again, and dealing with partial duplicates, and this time possibly check each one as you might need them both (or more) kept separately.

Cost
The App costs $1.

Indispensability
You're more than capable of checking for duplicate records yourself but, there's no way you can do it this fast, and for only $1, there's no contest.

Dependability
When testing, all duplicate records found were exactly that however, there were also duplicates that were not found.

Security
Before using the App, check the Privacy rules. Remember that you are sharing your contact information.

ACIDS Test Rating:

Saves a lot of time in cleaning up your contacts.

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

You can get CleanUp Suite here and support for the App here.