CamCard - App Review

Although we are clearly living in a digital age, some people still proffer business cards. It then takes tome and effort to enter the information into your contacts. CamCard reduces the drudgery.

Now for the ACIDS test:

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Start by taking a photo of a business card; the App will detect the edges and then show you the information found, entered into the appropriate fields.

This information can now be edited before hitting Save. You are at this stage able to create groups, as well as choosing to which account to save the information.

You will now find your new contact ion your address book.

You can also sign up for a free account which will also allow you to exchange cards.

Cost
The App Costs a nominal $1.

Indispensability
Clearly you can continue to enter information in time-honoured fashion but, this saves time, especially if you have a large number of business cards to add to your address book.

Dependability
You do need to check the information before saving it as errors do occur.

Security
The App needs access to your contacts.

ACIDS Test Rating:

Save time after a trade show...

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

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

Legend - App Review

As 'legend' could mean an unverified/historical story, it's fortunate that the full title of the App (Legend - Animate Text in Video & GIF) makes it clear that it deals more with an explanatory caption. End of lesson.

Now for the ACIDS test:

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After the welcome screen you can enter text, as well as take a picture, choose one from your albums, or search Flickr.

Having done that hit Next and wait for the App to make some suggested animations.

You can now choose the background and text colour from the suggested palette.

All you need do now is send your message as a message or e-mail.

Cost
The App Costs $2.

Indispensability
The App is an easy way to tart up your messages, and created animated GIFs.

Dependability
On occasions the App can be somewhat slow; be patient.

Sometimes a publicity link for the App is appended to your creation, but is easily removed.

Security
As ever, be careful what you share.

ACIDS Test Rating:

Animated text.

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

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

Pomodoro Pro - App Review

Anything that helps achieve tasks in a timely manner is worth taking a look at (have you set aside time for 'improvement?).

If you're not familiar with the Pomodoro Technique then take a look at the link; it's another methodology for getting things done, based around 25 minute steps (this is the default but easily changed).

Now for the ACIDS test:

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You are welcomed by a screen that gives you clues of how to best use the App. Gestures including swiping left to delete a task, or left to delete the current task, swiping up to mark a task as completed and tapping to start the 25 minute timer.

Once you are into the meat of the App, you enter a task name and start the timer.

The settings allow you to set a sound for the timer (having a ticking sound in the background is an acquired taste... although Charles Dickens possibly had to put up with it).

In order to synchronise across devices, you will need to register for an account.

Cost
The App costs $2.

Indispensability
Getting things dome is not an option but a necessity. Pomodoro seems to add a sense of urgency which may be what you need.

Dependability
There are no surprises with this App, just as it should be.

Security
Apart from the optional account registration, this is a standalone App.

ACIDS Test Rating:

Get things done with Pomodoro rather than delaying them until pomeriggio (little Italian joke).

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

You can get Pomodoro Pro here and support for the App here.

SaferVPN - App Review

You might think that VPN (Virtual Private Network) is something for large organisations; absolutely not, it's for you.

Sometimes you need to be somewhere else than you are physically. Have you ever wanted to watch your favourite TV show but couldn't because of access restrictions, or wanted to hide your IP address? Safer VPN takes care of this and many things besides.

Now for the ACIDS test:

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You can start a free trial by simply entering your e-mail and setting up a password.

You can now choose your location (that is the location that you wish to appear to be in) from:

Australia
Austria
Brazil
Canada
Denmark
Finland
France
Germany
Hong Kong
India
Israel
Italy
Japan
Netherlands
Norway
Poland
Russia
Singapore
Spain
Sweden
Switzerland
United Kingdom
United States (East or West)

Now press the Connect button and wait a second or two... the button changes to Connecting and then Disconnect.

At the same time you will notice your iOS device has a VPN icon towards the top left of the screen.

That's all there is to it until you hit Disconnect.

Cost
You can try the App for free and then upgrade to unlimited data and the full list of countries by an in App purchase for $6 per month (if purchased annually), with options for multiple devices at the same time for an additional fee.

It is important to note that the App can be used on multiple devices (but not at the same time), as well as on a PC.

Indispensability
If you never leave your 'home' country, and it has unrestricted Internet access, and you don't care who knows where you are then, you have no need for a VPN App; for the rest of us, this is, on occasions, a necessity. Most VPN Apps require the installation of VPN configurations; SaferVPN does not so it is very easy to set up.

Dependability
It works as described; you can easily check your IP address and see how it changes as you alter the VPN location.

Security
This App enhances your security although, anyone determined would also be able to work out that you are using a VPN. Unless there is IP level blocking, this shouldn't be an issue. The App is self-contained, so no concerns on this front.

ACIDS Test Rating:

Easily change location for iOS and PC (Mac and Android as well but not tested).

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

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

NoteSpot - App Review

The re are more notes Apps in the App Store than you can shake a stick at. The difference with NoteSpot is that it stores where you wrote the note.

Now for the ACIDS test:

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The basic interface consists of a blank page with a search box at the top and three icons at the bottom right (unless you change the options):

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Give your note a title (optional) and then type your thoughts. Additionally, you can enter a photograph.

Gear
This allows you to set the App for left-handed operation. The icons will then be transposed to the bottom left of the screen. You can also delete all notes in one fell swoop.

Globe
This will show you the locations where you entered notes. Tapping any of the pins will take you directly to the note.

Cost
The App Costs a nominal $1.

Indispensability
If you want the ability to add photographs and locations to your notes then, this is the one for you.

Dependability
The App is designed for the smaller screen of the iPhone but works fine in 1x and 2x modes on an iPad.

Security
Apart from the need to allow the App access to location services, the App is self-contained, so no concerns on this front.

ACIDS Test Rating:

Remembers where you made your notes.

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

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

Levitagram - App Review

Amaze everyone (OK, some people) with your powers of levitation... or so it appears at least.

Now for the ACIDS test:

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From within the App take a photograph with your subject (it does not need to be a person) on a pedestal of some sort (a chair for instance).

Now take a second photo with the subject and support removed.

You now have the option to let the App automatically align the photos and to save the original photos to your camera roll.

The next step is to use the tools to remove the support from the picture and... voilà, levitation.

Cost
The App Costs $2.

Indispensability
I'll leave that to you to decide; for sure it is fun.

Dependability
Although there is a magnify option and also the ability to change the size and blur the brush, it can be a bit tricky to get a 'realistic' effect.

Security
The App needs access to your photos.

You are also encouraged to share your masterpieces via social networks.

ACIDS Test Rating:

A bit of harmless (armless if you choose) fun.

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

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

Intervallo - App Review

Setting an alarm via iOS is fairly painless but, Intervallo takes this to a new level, partially because it is so easy to add a timer (and reuse it), and personalise a lot of settings.

Now for the ACIDS test:

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The choices are List (your timers), Timers (shows running timer and sets new ones), Pre-sets (masses of pre entered items including cooking, film development (an art from the past), workouts), and Help (the application is very intuitive anyway).

In order to set a timer the following (not all compulsory) are required:

• Timer mode - normal or never sleep
• Interval starts - Start the timer at a predefined date and time
• Interval ends - Stop the timer at a predefined date and time
• Duration - days, hours, minutes, seconds
• Name - for the timer and interval
• Sounds - at start, before end, at interval
• Call a specified telephone number
• Send an e-mail to a predetermined address
• Send a text message

Cost
The App Costs $2.

Indispensability
If you need multiple timers running simultaneously (not necessarily at the same same time), and especially if you want more than just a sound at the end then, this is a great App.

Dependability
The App is designed for the iPhone but works fine on an iPad in 1x and 2x modes.

Security
The only interaction is with the sending of messages and initiating of calls via the App.

ACIDS Test Rating:

Multiple timers, multiple options, multiple notifications.

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

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

HT Professional Recorder - App Review

If you're looking for a recording device that consists of more than simply a microphone and a volume meter, take a look at HT Professional Recorder.

Now for the ACIDS test:

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It would be impossible to give as sophisticated an App as HT Professional Recorder its due in a short review such as this.

Some of the important aspects, and which differentiate the App from the myriad of vanilla recorders include:

• The ability to skip silences, which can be useful in dictation and avoids you having to repeatedly press pause/play

• Automatic amplification of distant voices, thereby ensuring that recording a meeting will give a fairly level reproduction

• Variable speed playback which enables you lo locate a particular point in the recording with greater speed

• The sharing is not limited to the obvious solutions but includes FTP. This effectively means, amongst other things, that you can directly publish a recording to a website; brilliant

• The ability to cut parts of a recording

• Bookmarking various points in a recording

• A proper library for your recordings where, apart from file names (obviously), you can then store within folders

Cost
The App Costs $15 which may seem a lot for an App but, compared to a dedicated device is peanuts.

Indispensability
Do you need meetings/lectures recorded to a quality that means you can concentrate on content?

Dependability
It works!

Security
I can't see any security issues with the App but, as ever, be careful with what and how you share. That FTP transfer could bite you in the bum.

ACIDS Test Rating:

A genuine recording App.

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

You can get HT Professional Recorder here and support for the App here.

WatchNotes - App Review

This is one of the first of new breed of Apps, one that is really designed for use on the Apple Watch but also has a regular iOS interface.

The App is designed for note taking and ToDos.

Now for the ACIDS test:

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To create a Note, highlight 'Notes' then the pencil, tap the screen and enter the note, then press the save arrow. You can now press the icon at the top left of the screen to view, edit, rearrange, and delete your notes.

Notes can also be entered using the microphone.

The creation of Notes and ToDos is very similar, except that the latter has a tick box.

Cost
The App Costs a nominal $1.

Indispensability
Now that's the $64,000 question (now there's an old idiom for you). How easy do you find it to enter information on your Apple Watch... that'll answer the question.

Dependability
The App works.

Security
The information is synchronised between your iPhone (or iPad, iPod) with your Apple Watch.

ACIDS Test Rating:

Probably essential if you have an Apple Watch.

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

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

Splashtop Wired XDisplay - App Review

Sometimes one monitor just isn't enough.

Splashtop Wired XDisplay gives you an extended display with a second monitor.

Now for the ACIDS test:

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In order to get the App running, your PC needs to have the latest version of iTunes. You then need to install the XDisplay software on your PC. All you now need to do is link your iOS device with a USB cable and launch the App.

Your iOS device will now be an additional monitor; easy as that.

Cost
The App Costs $0.

Indispensability
Who doesn't need more screen real estate?

Dependability
If you are already using more than one monitor the App stops the subservient monitors displaying as they were previously.

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

ACIDS Test Rating:

You can't get an additional monitor for less.

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

You can get Splashtop Wired XDisplay here and support for the App here.