Lull in Activity

Hello Everyone,

I must apologize for the inconsistency in posts this week.  The holidays have me traveling quite a bit which eats away at my free time.  That being said, I plan on hitting the app reviews hard as soon as I get back home on Sunday.

Happy New Year to each and every one of you and thanks again for the great comments and support.

All the beset,

-Billy

Animated Widget Contact Launch [App Review]

As great as an Android-equipped device may be, there are a few stock features that are far from perfect.  One of my least favorite is contact accessibility.  It just feels clunky and not as efficient as many of the other amazing functions of my phone.  The Animated Widget Contact Launch by Mobility Publishing offers a solution to improve accessibility to your contacts.  This app creates icons for your contacts, each with pop-up options for text, voice, and email. 

Pros: Animated icons that provide an interesting alternative to the current stock features.

Cons:  Any app with animated features serves as a resource hog.  I doubt this is any different. 

You can download this app here.

TuneIn Radio [Essential App Series]

Continuing our weekly series highlighting the must-have apps for every Android user is TuneIn Radio. This multimedia app can access nearly any live radio stream in the world and play it real time through your Android device. As long as it streams online, TuneIn Radio can find it. Browse the continuously updating list of stations or use your GPS location to find what’s local. This app can also access thousands of podcasts, categorized by genre. Expose yourself to a world of news, opinion, sports and entertainment. From Aljazeera to Country Top 40, there’s definitely something for everybody.

You can download TuneIn Radio here.

Shake Them All [Live Wallpaper Review]

Turn your phone into an Android snow globe with this nifty live wallpaper. The size-adjustable androids react to phone direction and gravity, touching, and shaking of your phone. Stay mesmerized for hours.

Pros: The motion for each of the individual androids is remarkably fluid

Cons: As with most live wallpapers, this extension hogs memory resources and quickly drains your battery.

App Score: 4/5

You can download this live wallpaper here.

Bit [App Review]

Who needs the cryptic answers of a Magic 8 Ball when a simple yes or no will suffice? This app pays homage to the original 2-function “Bit” character in 1982’s Tron. Never be left in the dark again. Simply open the app, speak your question and press the screen for your answer. It’s MAGIC!!!!!!11!1one

Pros: Simplistic perfection in intended functionality.

Cons: Keeps telling me no whenever I ask about finding true love.

App Score: 4/5

You can download Bit here.

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Geo Diary [App Review]

Think of Geo Diary as a way to locate your pants after a wild night in Vegas. This app allows you to document the events of the evening by including journal entries, memos, incriminating photos and geo tags. Just open the app, click the map function and see all the interesting locations, drinks, and hookers you encountered during your blackout. Geo Diary also offers social media connectivity. Now your mom can really regret getting on Facebook as she follows your night of debauchery.

Pros: Geo Diary has great potential as is it panders to our need to share every aspect of our mundane lives.

Cons: Sometimes the app freezes when taking photos. Also has a tendency to default to a map of Korea (unsure if North or South).

App Score: 2.5/5

Geo Diary can be downloaded here.

Tetris [App Review]

I saw this app on the Android Market and just couldn't resist downloading.  Many hours of my childhood were spent playing this classic game on my original GameBoy.  Now you can relive those memories with one simple click.  As simplistic as Tetris may be, I still found myself glued to the screen with that classic midi soundtrack playing in the background (the very same Russian-esque tune found on the original game).

Pros:  Nostalgia

Cons: Not a single flaw can be found.

App Score: 5/5

Tetris can be downloaded here.