Posted by admin
0 comments
Spots is an excellent WiFi finder. What sets this app apart from others that I have tried is that you don’t need an Internet connection in order to find one. This $1.99 app has a frequently-updated internal database of thousands of free hotspots. Launching the app displays the closest ones in both a list and in a graphical map. Touching the map icons will highlight the corresponding item in the list.
Launching the item from the list displays the name, address, phone number, and the type of service. Quick links allow you to call and/or get directions.
The only thing I can conceivably think to add to the app us the ability to submit items to the database. I could see where this information may need to be verified or indicate that it is unverified, but it would really complement this application with something I have not seen elsewhere.
Overall, the app is very comprehensive and fills a need. My only concern us the price point. With free alternatives out there, some may balk at the $2 price tag for the interface. But, on the other hand, there is plenty of competition at that price point as well.
RemindMe is a cool little utility that creates wallpaper for your lock screen with reminders on them. As I use IntelliScreen, this app provides limited benefit for me. If you don’t jailbreak your phone though, it could be of some use to you. The text is customizable, and so is the color of the note and theme in the background. It does a good job of what it does, but I would think it would be a better value at $0.99 instead of the current $1.99.
MyWeather is absolutely the best weather app out there for the iPhone. The price just dropped to $4.99 and it is worth every penny. Weather for multiple cities is supported. Each city shows daily forecasts for a week, hourly temp & percipitation trends for the next 24 hours, and full-screen looping dopler radar. At this sale price, it definately makes my must-have list. 
In yet another attempt to find the perfect tip calculator, I tried out Gratuitous. It has some really nice features. It has a really intuitive interface, big buttons for big fingers, defaults to different tip percentages based on quality of service, and will divide up the check based on the number in the party. It will also round the check total and email the transaction to you. All in all, it is a nice feature set. It doesn’t do pre-tax calculations, but that isn’t a deal breaker for me. I usually tip off the gross anyway. It would be a nice addition though, especially for those really large tickets. 
Of the several I have tried (only reviewed about half of them), I am liking this $1 tip app the best. Of the things in my wish list (big buttons, pre-tax, default tip percent, etc) this does everything but default tax percentage. Entry involves both subtotal and tax amount. I would love to cut that down to one entry. I sent that suggestion to the developer, so we will see what happens. Another idea that I sent is ability to email transaction info. Adding that would make this the perfect app. 
This app has the nice features of “fat finger” input, saving the transactions, and pre-tax calculations, but it misses the mark in my book because you have to enter the tip percent and tax amount. It needs the ability to default tip percentage and the calculation of the tax based on a default percentage. Close, but no cigar.
CheckPlease is almost the perfect free tip calculator. It has pre-tax calculations, default tip and tax percent, and will even put your transaction into PocketMomey. I don’t like the ads though, the version 2.0 interface displays all the right info, but you loose the “fat finger” interface. But since it is free, it’s not going to cost you anything to check it out.
I had high hopes for this new, free app, but it doesn’t quite do it for me. It would fit my needs if it let you change the default tip percentage and set a default for rounding up or down. That way all you would need to do is enter the bill total. My ultimate tip tool would also default/calculate tax percentage so you could enter that one amount, it would calculate the tax, tip, and total (rounded up) based on that one entry. Guess I will keep looking.
I have found a new must-have app. If you are a fan of Launchy on the PC or QuickSilver on the Mac, QuickGold on the iPhone will be an iPhone answer to prayer. It indexes your apps (visible or not), your contacts, and your Safari bookmarks. Launch it with a single tap of your home key from your Springboard, and type in a couple of letters of what you are looking for…then pick it from the list. No more trying to remember which screen something was on! It is a free app from Cydia. I counted and I have 250+ contacts, many with multiple numbers & email addresses, 130+ visible icons, and numerous bookmarks. Probably 500+ things total. This app handles them all! 
A very long name for a very cool app. What it does is take a picture or someting from your camera roll, upload it to a free account on their server along with your description and location, and if your selected album is public, forwards it on to your accounts on Picasa, Facebook, TwitPic, and a number of other services. It can optionally store your new photo in your iPhone camera roll. I am heading out on a vacation (4 days on the GA coast) in a few weeks. It has been years since I have had one, and probably several before I have another. This app will be perfect for sharing that with friends and family. And did I mention that it’s free? 
Posts Feed