1st Impressions

Lifecasting is the new name for a really cool app formerly called FunSlides. In fact, the app icon and main scren still use that name. If you like to share photos, this app has a feature set that you are definately going to want to check out. What it does is allow you to create stand-alone slide shows with optional narration from either stored photos or your iPhone camera. The standard mp4 format file can then be viewed on your iPhone, emailed, copied to your computer via wifi, and even uploaded directly to YouTube. Lifecasting offers a lot of functionality for a small $0.99 price. An excelent bargain.

Dodge is a simple game that is just as the name says. You move your little blob guy around to keep it from getting hit by the ever increasing number of little balls that bounce around the screen. No rocket science here. Just dodge them as long as possible. Not much else to say. It is $0.99 in the iTunes store.

Emergency Radio is for the news junkie.  If you like listening to police scanners as a hobby or just want to tune in to a particular event that is live on the news, this app will help you do that.  The app comes in two flavors.  The free/lite version has a half-dozen stations pre-loaded just so you can check out the interface.  The $0.99 full version has the complete frequency database available to you.  Once nice feature is that it can find stations near you based on your current location.

While I have seen other applications that will let you tune in to emergency radio frequencies, this one has a really nice feature in that it displayes all the ten-codes on the screen.  If you hear someone mention 10-59 or a 10-14 or something, it doesn’t have to remain cryptic.  You can just scroll down the list and see what it means.  It’s kinda nice to know if they are just talking about a fight in progress or a full blown riot.  It is that kind of usefullness and attention to detail that sets the great applications apart from the good ones.

Rich Diamond is a really nice puzzle game. The graphics are a bit retro, but game play is relaxing but challenging. In order to move from one level to the next, you have to move around and push different things in the room with you to fill holes, make bridges, and so forth with the ultimate goal of picking up all the diamonds and making it to the exit. There is no timer to beat, moves can be undone, and levels can be restarted as needed. The game currently contains 300 levels in three difficulties and costs $2.99. A free/lite version is also available. This one is a keeper in my book.

This $2.99 app provides you with a countown to future events and “days since” (or weeks/years since) a past event.  Unlike TextMinder, this is more passive than active.  TextMinder actually gives you a nudge for future events.  This is more for informational purposes.  Time remaining can be displayed in days, weeks, and months.  You can even send your countdown events to others that have the app by email in case you want to share them.  The interface is nice, and it does a good job at what it does, but for what it does, I found the $2.99 price point a bit high.  At that price point, I would have expected a more feature-rich application.  Something that could import dates from the calendar, birthdays from your contacts, allowing for repeating events, and so forth.  For now though, I’m forced to recommend waiting for a price drop or more features.

In the about page on this site, I mention that one of the goals of this site is to provide added exposure to some apps that I feel really need and/or deserve it.  TextMinder is one such app.  TextMinder is a new $1.99 reminder app that sends you SMS reminders at a set schedule.  They are sent at a time of your choosing and can be repeated at durations ranging from hourly to annually.  Using the application could not be simpler.  It is very intuitive.  After creating an account where you input the phone number you want messages sent to, all you need to do is launch the app and enter the text and date/time just like you would a calendar event in something like Outlook.  

The application actually works in conjunction with a web site, txtminder.net.  You can edit, add, or delete your reminders from there as well.  Even if you are not an iPhone user, the web site appears to allow you to manage reminders with other phone carriers.  In other words, based on the carrier list, it appears to be open to everyone.  There is no additional charge other than your standard text message rates for the SMS messsages, and they come free from any advertising.

This is one of those utility kinds of apps that I love.  I was a huge fan of the now defunct Sandy reminder service and would love to see this app grow and add some of those features.  While I have a lot of suggestions, my first two would be these.  I’d love to have a default time for reminders so that they don’t have to be individually set every time.  I’d also love to be able to respond to a SMS reminder to delete it, postpone it, or change it’s repeat frequency.  It would also be cool if you could import a CSV file of events into the web site.

All in all, I am very happy with what this app does.  It makes my Must Have list and stays on my iPhone.  I’m hoping that it really takes off and becomes successful in the iTunes store and that the future is a bright one for this great tool.

Numbers is my new Must Have $0.99 puzzle game. A free light version is available, but save your time any go for the full version. The premise is simple, but the proper solution may take you a while. Basically, you are given a pattern of numbered blocks to duplicate. When you put a new piece down, it has a value of 1. But it also ADDS 1 to any pieces on the four sides of it. This means that pieces must be placed in the right order in order to match the goal pattern. If you think this sounds challenging, you would be right.

The game comes with over 100 levels. My hope is that more will be on the way. As you progress in the levels, you can used earned credits to purchase new board themes, new level packs, and/or use the credits earned here on/in the developer’s other games like SlideIt. The one huge thing I would like to do is to play without the pressure of the timer. I just think fast enough or remember well enough to either beat the clock or start over.

The unique game play and over 200 current levels makes this game a great buy in my book and I’ve added it to the Must Have list.

If you like Bible Trivia, you will love this game. Although it is $3.99, it promises a lot of fun and education. The game allows for multiple skill levels and shows the Bible reference for each answer. Great care is taken to not repeat questions until all in that difficulty level have been seen, and answer position is really randomized. Game play has two modes. One is timed, and the other is more relaxed but limits you to a certain number of strikes. Since I am not quite sure how many questions come with the game, I am not sure if the price point is too high or not. I’d think that a free light version or a price drop might be needed to advance sales.

SlideIt is one of those sliding puzzle games. I’ve never been good at them. This $1.99 app has some nice features though. As you finish levels and earn credits, you can not only unlock new photo options, but also what in other games might be called powerups. These allow you to do things like add time to your countdown timer and swap two pieces. If this were not enough of a twist for you, credits earned in SlideIt can be used in other games by the same developer. I am not quite sure if these added features justify the expense though. But I also see that this opinion is partially biased because it is a game type that I find more frustrating than fun. If you really like these kinds of games though, I recommend checking out the free light version before purchasing the full one.

Infection took me a minute to learn, but I’m slow. LOL The premise is simple. Touch a colored button on the bottom of the screen and it turns the little hex in the bottom left corner and any touching ones of the same color to the new color. The goal is to get the entire screen the same color in as few moves as possible. If you complete the level under par, you move on to the next and more complex level. Once you get as far as you can, your score can be saved in an online leader board.

Overall, this is a relaxing and fun game. It is a $0.99 game in the iTunes store. A free light version is also available. If you like relaxing puzzle games, you should check this one out. It promises lots of game play for a buck.