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:

Aesthetics
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:

Aesthetics
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:

Aesthetics
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:

Aesthetics
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:

Aesthetics
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.

Prowl - App Review

Do you use Growl (no, that isn't a spelling mistake). If you do, just get Prowl to have your notifications on your iOS device and stop being frustrated at another App no longer working under Windows.

For those of you still reading, and puzzled as to what is going on, let me explain. Wouldn't it be great to be notified of things (in fact changes) when you want, how you want, and most importantly, where you want (on your iOS device). Prowl makes this possible and Growl is the desktop component to make it happen from there.

Now for the ACIDS test:

Aesthetics
This review is about The Prowl App; the 'business end' is very much on your PC running Growl.

The first thing you need to do is register an account with Prowl, so that you can then pair your iOS device(s) with it.

As soon as that is do e, you can start receiving notifications.

The App allows you to set various parameters:

Do Not Disturb: use this to temporarily disable audible notifications.
Quiet Hours: this allows you to sleep! You can set the hours during which you will not receive audible notifications, as well as whether or not to allow emergency notifications to override this setting.
Absolute Time stamps: rather than have the notification read "x hours/minutes ago", have the exact time at which the alert was sent.
Collapse Notifications: instead of having notifications that show the original source, as well as a message, You can reduce this to just the source.
Text Display: choose from 8 font sizes
Notification Style: plain or stripes (I can't tell the difference)
Ask Before Redirect: decide what happens when you choose any given alert.
Open Links in Safari: should links be opened in Safari, rather than (potentially) another App.
Various sound settings: these include various sounds that can (if you wish) be applied to different levels of alarms.

You can either leave alerts that have been notified, or delete them individually (Edit button), or delete them all in one hit (Clear All button).

Cost
The App costs $3.

Indispensability
If you use Growl, and have one, or more, iOS devices, this App is essential.

Dependability
There has been a 100% success rate in forwarding Growl Alerts to Prowl during testing; you can't ask for better than that.

Security
Your alerts are sent from your PC, via Growl, to your Prowl account, and then to your iPhone/iPad.

ACIDS Test Rating:

Growl + iOS = Prowl

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

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

IconMemo - App Review

Do you still use Post-it notes, or are you totally digital?

This App appears to allow you to have a foot in both camps.

Now for the ACIDS test:

Aesthetics
You start by having a large choice of colours for your first Post-It; pick one of these and you are taken, via Safari, to add it to your home screen. Having done that, tapping your home screen will take you directly to the site, where you can input the text that you want. At the same time you can change font, line spacing, pen colour, background colour (as well as personalising a gradient); you can even e-mail the text to whoever you want.

You can choose to synchronise your note with Evernote. It appears that you need to set this when you initially create a note; it cannot be set later.

You will now see an icon which looks like a Post-it on a page of your home screen.

Tapping on the icon allows you to go back and edit it.

It's as simple as that.

Cost
The App costs $2.

Indispensability
The greatest (IMHO) aspect of this App is the The greatest (IMHO) aspect of this App is the Evernote synchronisation; you can effectively edit the text on your iOS device home screen, directly from any device that is connected to your Evernote account; this is amazingly powerful and slightly hidden under a bushel.

If you rely on your iOS device, and you love Post-its then, this could be right up your street. If you are an Evernote fan as well then, you almost have to try it.

Dependability
You need an Internet connection to be able to create a memo in the first place but can view and edit it thereafter, regardless of connection.

To make the App extra useful, I would suggest that if you only need one Post-it then, place it at one of the corners of your first home screen, or even in the bottom tray, so that it is accessible from all home screens. If you use lots of Post-its then, consider reserving a whole home screen for them.

Security
The updating to Evernote involves sending some information to enable this to happen.

ACIDS Test Rating:

Editable Post-its.

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

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

Sally Park Pro - App Review

Have you ever parked and gone over the allotted time?

Have you ever parked and had difficulty finding your vehicle?

This App sets out to be a cure to both those ailments.

Now for the ACIDS test:

Aesthetics
The App basically has four graphical buttons which cover the following:

Park
This allows you to save the parking spot (see Location)

Note
This allows you to enter some text (parking bay number, floor), and add a photo of where you are parked

Time
This is a really lovely graphical interface, very much like an old style parking meter. You scroll the disc to the number of minutes, as well as being able to tap to add 5, 10, or 30 minutes.

Location
This indicates the geographical location of where you are parked (set when you hit the Park button), so that you can guide yourself back.

The settings allow you to set sounds and reminders (5, 10, 15, 20 minutes) of when your time will be up, as well as metric or imperial measurements. There is also the option to remove notes and photos when you save a new location.

Cost
The App is supported by advertising, on the form of a splash screen that appears when you open the App; there is no charge for the App itself.

Indispensability
If you have problems remembering when and where you parked, try it.

Dependability
The accuracy is variable but, you will be guided to (at least) the parking lot, and potentially far better, especially if it is in an open space (and hence on one floor). The taking of a photograph and entering a note will make your life easier in other circumstances.

Security
Your information is not shared.

ACIDS Test Rating:

Never get another parking fine (maybe).

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

You can get Sally Park Pro here and support for the App here.

Scanner with OCR - App Review

Sometimes, you see some text that you would rather have as text, rather than simply save it as a photograph. This App uses OCR (Optical Character Recognition) to do just that.

Now for the ACIDS test:

Aesthetics
It starts off with you either taking a photo of some text, or using one from your library.

The editor offers you three tools:

Crop, so that you can just 'translate' the area that you want (obviously not necessary if your photo covers all the text)
Flag, pick the language that you are scanning. There is a truckload (sorry, no lorry) from which to choose.
Tick, to confirm that you have made your choice

Having touched the 'tick', the engine will use OCR to render your photograph into text.

You can now share your text using different Apps, including Mail, Message, Facebook, Twitter, Word...

Cost
OCR for $2 has got to be good value. Just be careful of data usage in a metered situation.

Indispensability
Being able to take text and treat it later is great, as is the ability to photograph something in small text, OCR it, and then have it in larger text. This is not the same as simply blowing up a photograph of text.

Dependability
Although the OCR is not 100% accurate it is excellent. The one consistent 'error' seems to be when a word is hyphenated at the end of a line, it appears hyphenated within the OCRed text.

An Internet connection is required to be able to carry out the OCR, although you can obviously take a photograph without and carry out that step later.

Security
Be careful if you Facebook, or Twitter material that is subject to copyright.

ACIDS Test Rating:

Almost perfect OCR for $2

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

You can get Scanner with OCR here and support for the App here.

Data Monitor - App Review

So just how much data do you use, or to be more precise, download.

This becomes more of a pertinent question when you have a limited data plan... perhaps especially when you are roaming.

This App gives you the information to manage the situation.

Now for the ACIDS test:

Aesthetics
In order to get the best out of the App, it starts by guiding you through a 'First Run Set-up'. This includes your billing day (which is usually, but not always, especially with pay as you go plans) the 1st, your current data usage and your plan limit. There is a helpful reminder that entering *3282# can get you the information, but only from certain carriers.

As soon as you have completed this simple process, you're up and running. The very clear display shows both cellular and wi-fi usage, both as absolute values, as a bar and also the projected value for the billing cycle.

You can quite happily leave things at that but, the settings menu allows you to set other parameters:

Background monitoring (best left on otherwise you need to have the App running)
Data display units; MegaBytes, KiloBytes, GigaBytes
Icon Badge: None, cellular or wi-fi percent of quota
Cellular and/or wi-fi data settings: you can change the billing cycle, quota and alerts

Cost
The basic App (as tested here) is free and supported by advertising which is in the form of a fairly discrete line at the bottom of the screen. There is an in-App purchase $3.

Indispensability
If you are concerned that you might go over a predetermined data allowance, this App could be just what you have been looking for.

Dependability
The App seems to work fine and the good graphics make you even more aware of your data usage. It would be worthwhile to initially check that the usage is similar to that being suggested by your provider; you never know but you may be being overcharged.

Security
There is no information sharing, thereby not opening up that particular can of worms.

ACIDS Test Rating:

Better than constantly checking your usage on your provider's website.

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

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