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:

Aesthetics
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):

Plus
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:

Aesthetics
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:

Aesthetics
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:

Aesthetics
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:

Aesthetics
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:

Aesthetics
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.

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.