Pros:
-Automatic location search - hence “MyWeather”
-Sleek UI
-Highly interactive radar/satellite/alerts map
-Severe weather alerts via Push
-World-wide data info (locations outside US have limited data)
-Trends
-Multiple views
Cons:
-No extended daily-horizontal-view. (6+ days)
-Weather forecast can sometime be inacurate
$4.99
3.9/10
MyWeather Mobile is by far one of the best weather applications in the App Store! Its intuitive data mapping and easy to navigate interface really make this app a winner!
MyWeather Mobile’s main advantage is that it automatically finds where you are and loads your weather data. While this is nice, you also have the option of adding more locations from all over the world (cities outside the US don't have all of the same features though).
The app is split into three main sections. When the app loads you are presented with the current temperatures of all the cities you have listed in the top section & depending on which one you have selected, you are presented with a 7-day forecast in the bottom section.
In the middle is a tool bar that allows you to display the forecast, the weather trends or the radar/satellite/alerts in the bottom section.
For each of the cities you have picked, the app will list their current temperatures & conditions next to each city. If you tap on the little black arrow (not very visable), you can view more details about the current weather conditions: location of weather station, wind chill, dew point, humidity, precipitation today, wind speed & direction, pressure & whether it is increasing, decreasing or staying the same.
The app defaults to selecting your “MyWeather” By taping on one of your locations you can view the 7-day forecast and the hi’s & low’s for each day. (You can always remove the "MyWeather" or add cities by tapping on the "i".)
Tapping on the trends allows you to view the current days forecast plotted over a 12-hour period, swipe right to view a second trend – a 12-hr precipitation forecast and lastly you can view a 12-hr wind speed & direction trend. While viewing the trends, if you flip the iPhone so that it’s horizontal, you can view the trends full-screen & they will become 36-hour forecast trends.
Lastly on the middle toolbar, you can tap on radar and the radar imagery will appear in the bottom pane. Again is you rotate the iPhone, you’ll be able to see the radar in full screen mode.
The orange dot on the map is the location you have selected and the other yellow dots are the other locations on your list.
You can pan & zoom in or out to see more or less of the map. I find this feature one of the strongest points for this app. If you tap on the screen once, a HUD (Heads-Up Display) will appear, this allows to change the map terrain - Road or Aerial (my personal favorite;) the Overlay – Radar, Satellite, and Alerts; the opacity allows you to set the transparency of the radar, satellite imagery and finally the play/pause button well it… erm… plays & pauses the animation.
If you tap on the Alerts view, you might notice several colors appear on the screen, in the bottom-right corner, an “i” icon will appear – this identifies what the alert colors stand for.
http://www.mscapture.com/img/v8/p1022683594-2.jpg
One of the most recently added features was PUSH notifications for weather alerts that you have listed in the app.
This can be a great help, especially when traveling. The alerts will appear as red push-pins in the main part of the interface until the alerts expire. Tapping on them in the main area or on the map will pull up the alert in more detail.
On a mildly unrelated note, last year I attended NAB and ended up seeing the guys from MyWeather. I spoke with someone that works directly on the MyWeather Mobile iPhone app dev team. After I got done talking with him, I found out some substantial information. Firstly, and most importantly, MyWeather is the data collector & provider for several entities. What does that mean? This means that the data is likely to much more recent that other places that receive the data, then rebroadcast the data to you – leaving a delay in time.
Secondly, I found that they are eventually going to have the forecast expand viewable horizontally when the iPhone is rotated on its side.
Finally, I was told that they eventually hope to have this happen, but there really isn’t a release date – the ability to tap on the map and get current conditions for that area.
The only unusual or lacking things this app had was - when displaying the color map for the alerts, you have to tap the "i" again rather than tapping the map again. Also I really wish there was a 10-day, horizontal forecast view. Overall, this app is completely worth the money. However, I have had some issues with the forecast prediction (85-90% of the time its accurate.) I absolutely LOVE the radar and the way I can manipulate it (to even see satellite imagery of hurricanes in the Atlantic). The radar is incredibly accurate as are the current weather conditions. The interface is super clean & sleek and is highly recommended for anyone that keeps track of the weather on a daily basis.
-Automatic location search - hence “MyWeather”
-Sleek UI
-Highly interactive radar/satellite/alerts map
-Severe weather alerts via Push
-World-wide data info (locations outside US have limited data)
-Trends
-Multiple views
Cons:
-No extended daily-horizontal-view. (6+ days)
-Weather forecast can sometime be inacurate
$4.99
3.9/10
MyWeather Mobile is by far one of the best weather applications in the App Store! Its intuitive data mapping and easy to navigate interface really make this app a winner!
MyWeather Mobile’s main advantage is that it automatically finds where you are and loads your weather data. While this is nice, you also have the option of adding more locations from all over the world (cities outside the US don't have all of the same features though).
The app is split into three main sections. When the app loads you are presented with the current temperatures of all the cities you have listed in the top section & depending on which one you have selected, you are presented with a 7-day forecast in the bottom section.
In the middle is a tool bar that allows you to display the forecast, the weather trends or the radar/satellite/alerts in the bottom section.
For each of the cities you have picked, the app will list their current temperatures & conditions next to each city. If you tap on the little black arrow (not very visable), you can view more details about the current weather conditions: location of weather station, wind chill, dew point, humidity, precipitation today, wind speed & direction, pressure & whether it is increasing, decreasing or staying the same.
The app defaults to selecting your “MyWeather” By taping on one of your locations you can view the 7-day forecast and the hi’s & low’s for each day. (You can always remove the "MyWeather" or add cities by tapping on the "i".)
Tapping on the trends allows you to view the current days forecast plotted over a 12-hour period, swipe right to view a second trend – a 12-hr precipitation forecast and lastly you can view a 12-hr wind speed & direction trend. While viewing the trends, if you flip the iPhone so that it’s horizontal, you can view the trends full-screen & they will become 36-hour forecast trends.
Lastly on the middle toolbar, you can tap on radar and the radar imagery will appear in the bottom pane. Again is you rotate the iPhone, you’ll be able to see the radar in full screen mode.
The orange dot on the map is the location you have selected and the other yellow dots are the other locations on your list.
You can pan & zoom in or out to see more or less of the map. I find this feature one of the strongest points for this app. If you tap on the screen once, a HUD (Heads-Up Display) will appear, this allows to change the map terrain - Road or Aerial (my personal favorite;) the Overlay – Radar, Satellite, and Alerts; the opacity allows you to set the transparency of the radar, satellite imagery and finally the play/pause button well it… erm… plays & pauses the animation.
If you tap on the Alerts view, you might notice several colors appear on the screen, in the bottom-right corner, an “i” icon will appear – this identifies what the alert colors stand for.
http://www.mscapture.com/img/v8/p1022683594-2.jpg
One of the most recently added features was PUSH notifications for weather alerts that you have listed in the app.
This can be a great help, especially when traveling. The alerts will appear as red push-pins in the main part of the interface until the alerts expire. Tapping on them in the main area or on the map will pull up the alert in more detail.
On a mildly unrelated note, last year I attended NAB and ended up seeing the guys from MyWeather. I spoke with someone that works directly on the MyWeather Mobile iPhone app dev team. After I got done talking with him, I found out some substantial information. Firstly, and most importantly, MyWeather is the data collector & provider for several entities. What does that mean? This means that the data is likely to much more recent that other places that receive the data, then rebroadcast the data to you – leaving a delay in time.
Secondly, I found that they are eventually going to have the forecast expand viewable horizontally when the iPhone is rotated on its side.
Finally, I was told that they eventually hope to have this happen, but there really isn’t a release date – the ability to tap on the map and get current conditions for that area.
The only unusual or lacking things this app had was - when displaying the color map for the alerts, you have to tap the "i" again rather than tapping the map again. Also I really wish there was a 10-day, horizontal forecast view. Overall, this app is completely worth the money. However, I have had some issues with the forecast prediction (85-90% of the time its accurate.) I absolutely LOVE the radar and the way I can manipulate it (to even see satellite imagery of hurricanes in the Atlantic). The radar is incredibly accurate as are the current weather conditions. The interface is super clean & sleek and is highly recommended for anyone that keeps track of the weather on a daily basis.
Pros:
-Very user friendly
-Wide range of years, 1948-2009
-The option to buy the song you're listing to
Cons:
-If you have bad service, song will cut out
1.99
4.5/5
I’ll be honest. This is my first review of an app, so I felt it fitting to review one of the first apps I downloaded. I bought it the second day I had my iPhone, and believe me, I am a frugal shopper when I look at apps. So when I saw nuTsie’s Top 100’s, and for only $1.99, I figured it would be a good deal.
What I didn’t realize was how far back this thing goes! Do you like Johnny Cash? Elvis? How about Ella Fitzgerald? Nutsie goes back all the way to 1948, and finishes up at 2009. That is 6,100 songs at your fingertips. For $1.99, people.
It’s very simple to navigate, simply scroll to select your favorite year of music and let the music take you back. Oh, what’s that, this song reminds you of bad memories from high school, getting a wedgie in the parking lot while someone’s car radio blasted “Beautiful” by Christina Aguilera? No problem, simply skip to the next song.
Essentially, nuTsie is a radio type app, like Pandora. You can skip songs, you can purchase the song directly from iTunes, and you can even go to the YouTube music video while still in the app.
However, for you to enjoy the music to the fullest, you have to be in an area where you get full service, or at least a strong wireless signal. Otherwise, you will be singing a capella at the top of your lungs to Aqua’s “Barbie Girl” when the music suddenly cuts out.
Overall, this is a good app for the cost. Unfortunately, if you like alternative music that isn’t mainstream, you’re not likely to find many songs here that you’ll enjoy. But I do have to say that this is an app that saves me from buying songs on iTunes, but keeps me guessing. You never know when you’ll hear a song that you love that you completely forgot about.
You may have noticed that we haven't posted a review in nearly a month. Well, we have been hard at work on creating a WHOLE NEW website - 2.0, just in time for the 1-year anniversary of The iPhone App Blog! We have added so many features, it might make your head spin! Among the new website & it's features, we have another reviewer coming on our team, Brie Kocian. (@briekocian) We are incredibly excited to have her on board (especially so she can review the "girlie" apps.) So she too will be posting reviews to the website!
Just a short list of some of the new features:
-Comment on review without having to register.
-Discuss applications in our forums
-Weekly Podcast
-Rate app on the review
-View details about the app
-A super secret new feature we don't think anyone has yet to do regarding iPhone apps (or any other subject matters!)
We are hopeing to release the site in the next two weeks, sooner if everything falls into place!
Here's a quick screen-shot of the new website:
Just a short list of some of the new features:
-Comment on review without having to register.
-Discuss applications in our forums
-Weekly Podcast
-Rate app on the review
-View details about the app
-A super secret new feature we don't think anyone has yet to do regarding iPhone apps (or any other subject matters!)
We are hopeing to release the site in the next two weeks, sooner if everything falls into place!
Here's a quick screen-shot of the new website:
Pros:
-Nice & easy Interface
-quality photos
Cons:
-Limited features
-only displays a photo a day
$0.99 [iTunes Link]
1/5 Stars
Advent Apollo is a Apollo Mission themed advent calendar. The application only allows you to view photos from the current day or the previous days. In other words... no cheating.
While the application has a nice and easy to use interface, we do not see much use for it. Many of these photos are widely available online with a simple Google search. But if you're not much into searching, then you might enjoy the nice photos.
-Nice & easy Interface
-quality photos
Cons:
-Limited features
-only displays a photo a day
$0.99 [iTunes Link]
1/5 Stars
Advent Apollo is a Apollo Mission themed advent calendar. The application only allows you to view photos from the current day or the previous days. In other words... no cheating.
While the application has a nice and easy to use interface, we do not see much use for it. Many of these photos are widely available online with a simple Google search. But if you're not much into searching, then you might enjoy the nice photos.
NOTE: (12-21-09) CONOVAE updated their. For previous purchasers of this app, if you update, you will automatically receive 20,000 notifications and as the screenshot shows below, you'll still receive notifications even after you run out of credits!?) New users receive 100 free notifications & additional 20,000 notifications can be purchased for $0.99. We find this quite reasonable, as devs have to cover on-going server costs.
Pros:
-Unlimited sources to be checked (as many RSS feeds as you want etc.)
-Notification response time is very reasonable.
-100 free notifications (before "unlocking" the application)
Cons:
-App navigation could be better
-Notifications appear in app all bunched up, no way to mark as read.
-Must edit settings in a browser. (opens op Safari.app)
-No RSS feed search
FREE
3.5/5 (Updated 12-21-09)
[iTunes Link]
I've never regularly used an RSS reader, because I would add a lot of feeds, then when I'd open it, I had all these things to read and that little number badge would be in the hundreds staring at me from my springboard. I happen to be one of those people that if there's a number badge on an app, then it needs to be resolved immediately. So I deleted the app. Resolved, right?!? Not exactly what should be done...
Getting back to the app- The resolution to my issue was using the Notifications app. This allowed me to set up certain RSS feeds to be checked and Push notifications to be sent to me. Notifications doesn't only do push for RSS, but Twitter, Gmail, and if you know how to code, then these are some bits of code that you can utilize on your website. So the app applies to both beginner & advanced iPhone users.
The app itself is quite simple. The main page consists of all the notifications you have received to date & the settings page, which allows you to check latency, to test sending push notifications to yourself and to show you which services you have enabled.
My main issue with this app was determining how to enter my feeds & Twitter searches so that it would send me the notifications. I ended up doing a Google search for the company and finding a login page (that I first registered for) and logged in to be able to edit my notifications.
I really don't understand why they couldn't add a button in the settings pane that opens up an IN-APP BROWSER! Mind you, the website is mobile formatted; however, the blanks you type into are not, so it is a bit catty-whompus.
Right now I have about some 30 feeds that Notifications checks for me and one Twitter search. While their website states that the notification come instantly, I noticed that it can take from instantly to 15 minutes before you receive notification. A nice little feature I noticed on the web was the ability to open up a pre-selected iPhone Twitter app when you received a Twitter notification.
Overall, the service is great. If you are looking for a solid RSS application with PUSH, then this is NOT the app for you. If you don't care much about the app itself & its UI, then you should be just fine purchasing this app. The one main thing I’d really like to see improved is the app itself – to have the capability to marked notifications as read or unread & the ability to sort into categories would be an added bonus.
Pros:
-Great interface
-Live conversion of videos
-Add multiple servers
-Compression settings galore
-Select audio streams
-Create compression presets
-Conversions are very good
Cons:
-Remote server can be tricky to set up as Port forwarding doesn’t work on all networks
-Smaller, less resourceful computers, will not be able to run the software.
$2.99
4.5/5
I was quite surprised when I found this was available in the App Store and was even more blown away with what is said it could do. But would it live up to it?
Besides downloading the iPhone App, you'll need to download the program for your computer (for PC & Mac OSX 10.4+). Neither app/program will work without the other. The iPhone app is basically a front end (UI) to the computer program.
The app has four main views - the server list, the file list, the file details view & and the queue view.
Installing the software and setup on my Vista computer was a breeze. The main thing here is to make sure you select what folders you want to have access to. Also there is an option to use "Internet access" which is an important option to have checked to really make this app scream! I even connected one of my NAS (Network Accessible Storage) drives to the app.
Switching back to the app, once you have everything on you Mac/PC setup, you will need to setup your iPhone app. Which, the two devices must be on the same Wifi network the first time for that the app can detect your PC/Mac
Again setting up the iPhone local and Internet connection are easy to setup. At one point I had an issue where I couldn’t get one of the servers to show up under local network & I had to enter my IP manually to get it to work.
The flow of the program is easy to navigate – you have your servers, then your file listings. You also have the option to set a password for your server to keep other out.
It seemed no matter what type of file I had, I was always able to see a screenshot next to the name whether it was converted or not.
In viewing details about the video, if it’s not in iPhone readable format, the app can either convert it for you (you can go about other things & come back to it later) or you can use the “LIVE conversion.”
When the videos convert, you’ll be left with a duplicate video file on your computer – the converted file, which is nonce to keep around other than being capable of streaming the video. Another thing you can do is add the video to iTunes and even to an optional playlist.
One of the things that really caught me by surprise was the extensive compression & ratio settings. You can even create multiple presets (ones for Edge & 3G connections) and set a default preset.
I never had an issue once I figured out the right conversion I wanted to use (the medium default preset worked out well for me to start with). I even made different conversion presets depending on what type of connection I thought I’d have.
Lastly, that other thing that caught me off guard was that the app has the ability to stream files remotely (via 3G/Edge) rather than just your local Wifi. Imagine instead of waiting tediously for a video to download from the Internet, you can leave your computer, check you iPhone, convert it and view it on-the-go!
Overall, this is absolutely an amazing concept & app, I surprised Apple/AT&T didn’t block this one. ;) On a side note, I’d have to say – if you need a video converter & you “happen” to have an iPod touch or iPhone, for 3 bucks to have a well created video converter is a steal!
-Great interface
-Live conversion of videos
-Add multiple servers
-Compression settings galore
-Select audio streams
-Create compression presets
-Conversions are very good
Cons:
-Remote server can be tricky to set up as Port forwarding doesn’t work on all networks
-Smaller, less resourceful computers, will not be able to run the software.
$2.99
4.5/5
I was quite surprised when I found this was available in the App Store and was even more blown away with what is said it could do. But would it live up to it?
Besides downloading the iPhone App, you'll need to download the program for your computer (for PC & Mac OSX 10.4+). Neither app/program will work without the other. The iPhone app is basically a front end (UI) to the computer program.
The app has four main views - the server list, the file list, the file details view & and the queue view.
Installing the software and setup on my Vista computer was a breeze. The main thing here is to make sure you select what folders you want to have access to. Also there is an option to use "Internet access" which is an important option to have checked to really make this app scream! I even connected one of my NAS (Network Accessible Storage) drives to the app.
Switching back to the app, once you have everything on you Mac/PC setup, you will need to setup your iPhone app. Which, the two devices must be on the same Wifi network the first time for that the app can detect your PC/Mac
Again setting up the iPhone local and Internet connection are easy to setup. At one point I had an issue where I couldn’t get one of the servers to show up under local network & I had to enter my IP manually to get it to work.
The flow of the program is easy to navigate – you have your servers, then your file listings. You also have the option to set a password for your server to keep other out.
It seemed no matter what type of file I had, I was always able to see a screenshot next to the name whether it was converted or not.
In viewing details about the video, if it’s not in iPhone readable format, the app can either convert it for you (you can go about other things & come back to it later) or you can use the “LIVE conversion.”
When the videos convert, you’ll be left with a duplicate video file on your computer – the converted file, which is nonce to keep around other than being capable of streaming the video. Another thing you can do is add the video to iTunes and even to an optional playlist.
One of the things that really caught me by surprise was the extensive compression & ratio settings. You can even create multiple presets (ones for Edge & 3G connections) and set a default preset.
I never had an issue once I figured out the right conversion I wanted to use (the medium default preset worked out well for me to start with). I even made different conversion presets depending on what type of connection I thought I’d have.
Lastly, that other thing that caught me off guard was that the app has the ability to stream files remotely (via 3G/Edge) rather than just your local Wifi. Imagine instead of waiting tediously for a video to download from the Internet, you can leave your computer, check you iPhone, convert it and view it on-the-go!
Overall, this is absolutely an amazing concept & app, I surprised Apple/AT&T didn’t block this one. ;) On a side note, I’d have to say – if you need a video converter & you “happen” to have an iPod touch or iPhone, for 3 bucks to have a well created video converter is a steal!
Recently I have been doing some freelance job hunting and I've found CraigsMobileList to be quite helful in sifting through the craigslist search results. The app also allows you to bookmark searches, post ads, favorite certain results and set filters for your searches. As well as keep a recent city search list (helpful if you are looking state-wide results.) If your an "usual" on Craigslist, then this app if for you!
$0.99
iTunes link..
-- Posted remotely from, of course, the iPhone via the BlogPress app.
The GrooveMaker Apps are a new way of creating great music on the go. Intermediate users of electronic music creation will find this app on top of their best music creation apps for the iPhone.
The new GrooveMaker Techno gives you the raw energy of early techno, the monobeats of yore with a touch of gritty, eerie cyberfunk. These are
beats straight from the roots of electronic music, so you have all the tools to move the dance floor. Includes 4 songs, plus 1 FREE song by registering, and a total of 315 loops in 140-150-160-180 BPM ranges for 228 MB of samples.
New GrooveMaker Trance allows you to immerse yourself in a total state of trance with anathematic bass lines, progressive structures and lead melodies; a hypnotic journey with no interruption! Includes 4 songs, plus 1 FREE song by registering, and a total of 315 loops in 140-150 BPM for 230 MB of samples.
And listen here of a LIVE recording of me using the Hip-Hop version (recorded via Audacity).
App Giveaway: IK Multimedia has graciously given us some promo codes to share. We have ones for the Techno, Trance, Hip-Hop, Club & House versions. In the comments tell us who your favorite Techno or Trance artist is and why. Winners for the comments will be chosen by 10/09/09 @ 10pm CST. To get the Techno, Trance or House versions - first comment will receive a promo code, the other two will be randomly selected from the comments. Get even more apps by following us on Twitter (@iphoneappblog) and watch for our tweet on how you could get the Hip-Hop or Club versions for free!
Make sure when you post a comment you put some way to get a hold of you - Twitter, website, etc.
Recently the Federal Trade Commission decided to begin regulating blogging - bloggers must now disclose whether or not they have received a product they reviewed for free directly from the company; in this case receiving app promo codes. The FTC began this, because for instance
In the past we have not done this (yes, some of the reviews here, emerged from a promo code.) And I am not sure why I haven't thought of doing it. However, we want our readers to understand that even though we received applications for free, we still use the some of the same standards for when we purchase apps, asking ourselves "Is this app really worth it?" as well as being harsher in giving stars to the rank to compensate for any bias. Personally we can only purchase so many apps per month, so the promo code usage, is helpful to us in providing reviews for readers.
You might notice that there are not any ads on this website (except in the iPhone version, but I can't help that at the moment;) this is because I am not here to make money from app reviews nor readers, I simply created this blog so that others like me - wanting to know in-depth information about apps & how they function (like analyzing the pixelzation of graphics in the background) could get the information that other sites do not provide. We only review applications that we can relate to, we have even turned down requests to review an application. Why? Because I simply didn't have the knowledge to evaluate it (a law study guide app).
So in all disclosure, we will have two identifiers at the top of our app reviews - First, if we have received the app via a promo code, "via promo code" will display. If we requested a promo code, "requested promo code" will display and finally, if we have purchased the app, there will be no reference. If an app is "purchased" for free thought the App Store, there will also not be any reference either These references will begin immediately and will also be incorporated into older posts over the next month or so. Also for app reviews that evolved from beta testing an app, the apps must come from the developers & cannot be purchased through the iTunes App Store, therefore; this will also be noted in first setence of the review when the word "Beta" is mentioned.
If you have any question or would like to make a feature suggestion, please leave us a comment.
Link to article.
[...] what some consumers might not know is that many companies pay reviewers for their write-ups [...]And this is true even in the iPhone app world. We have heard from developers that some site actually charge for a review, some upwards of $150 for a "professional review." In my opinion that's just awful.
In the past we have not done this (yes, some of the reviews here, emerged from a promo code.) And I am not sure why I haven't thought of doing it. However, we want our readers to understand that even though we received applications for free, we still use the some of the same standards for when we purchase apps, asking ourselves "Is this app really worth it?" as well as being harsher in giving stars to the rank to compensate for any bias. Personally we can only purchase so many apps per month, so the promo code usage, is helpful to us in providing reviews for readers.
You might notice that there are not any ads on this website (except in the iPhone version, but I can't help that at the moment;) this is because I am not here to make money from app reviews nor readers, I simply created this blog so that others like me - wanting to know in-depth information about apps & how they function (like analyzing the pixelzation of graphics in the background) could get the information that other sites do not provide. We only review applications that we can relate to, we have even turned down requests to review an application. Why? Because I simply didn't have the knowledge to evaluate it (a law study guide app).
So in all disclosure, we will have two identifiers at the top of our app reviews - First, if we have received the app via a promo code, "via promo code" will display. If we requested a promo code, "requested promo code" will display and finally, if we have purchased the app, there will be no reference. If an app is "purchased" for free thought the App Store, there will also not be any reference either These references will begin immediately and will also be incorporated into older posts over the next month or so. Also for app reviews that evolved from beta testing an app, the apps must come from the developers & cannot be purchased through the iTunes App Store, therefore; this will also be noted in first setence of the review when the word "Beta" is mentioned.
If you have any question or would like to make a feature suggestion, please leave us a comment.
Link to article.
Pros:
-Utilizes Occipital's RedLaser technology
-quickly get food & nutritional info from the product's UPC
-Add items to the database
-Optionally sync with DailyBurn account
-Works well on both the iPhone 3GS & iPhone 2G (from what I tested)
-Easy UI
Cons:
-Viewing previously scanned "today" objects, you cannot view their info.
-Utilizes Occipital's RedLaser technology
-quickly get food & nutritional info from the product's UPC
-Add items to the database
-Optionally sync with DailyBurn account
-Works well on both the iPhone 3GS & iPhone 2G (from what I tested)
-Easy UI
Cons:
-Viewing previously scanned "today" objects, you cannot view their info.
4/5
DailyBurn + Occipital's Red Laser = WIN
From the creators of the Daily Burn app & Occipital's RedLaser technology comes FoodScanner. If you have used DailyBurn before (or if you haven't you should, but it's not required to have an account to use the app), then you should know that tracking the foods you eat can become tedious at times, especially when you can't find just the right food to enter into your Food Log.
Well, FoodScanner simplifies the process, using Occipital's RedLaser technology. So by using your iPhone's camera, aim at the food's barcode & violá, the app will make a beeping noise and load your results nearly instantly, you don't even have to tap the annoyingly small "camera" button!
Sorry image is blurry, hard to take a
snapshot before the app picks up the barcode.
But let's say the barcode that is scanned doesn't pull up any results, well, you have the option to add the food to the database by adding the name, serving size,
nutritional data & even a picture!
No barcode? No problem! Use a keyword to mind a food & it's nutritional info. But wait there's more! ;-) Not only is the product added to your database, but to the global one as well, so when they say "a database of 200,000+ items & growing" they aren't kidding. My only concern is false information, so do make sure when adding the food to your DailyBurn journal, that the nutritional info seems right.
I was really impressed by it's ability to take a picture of the UPC barcode. I first tested it on the 3GS, no problems, I turned out all the lights and was able to "scan" the barcode using only the dim light radiating off my computer monitor! I then picked up my old iPhone 2G. While yes, the camera does not have a macro lens, the outcome was nearly the same. It took a little longer for the barcode to register, but nothing I'd say I wouldn't have expected given the camera's specs.
Another thing to note is that the screen says "hold still" I literally sat down and "trembled" the iPhone 3GS it was able to pick up the UPC code (it almost seemed to pick it up faster...)
This application really starts off where the free DailyBurn app ends. I only hope that they at some point merge the two into a "PRO" application as having two application is mildly irritating, especially if you need the real estate on your home screen. Another thing I'd like to see in the app (if not a 'PRO" version, then the ability to "switch" between apps with out having to go to the home screen.) Again, realize that you do not need a DailyBurn account to use this, but if you like tracking your nutrition, then I highly recommend an account & the free DailyBurn app. The app is starting at an "introductory price" of $2.99. I hope they don't raise the price too much, as I wouldn't want to pay over the $2.99, $3.99 would be the absolute max. This is a really great concept & awesome app; however, the fact that I can't go back to simply view data on previously scanned foods is a little annoying.
Review is for version 1.0 of app.
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