#82 - Free App Report

TITLE: Free App Report
SCORE: 5 / 5
NOTE: THIS APP IS Wi-Fi / ONLINE ONLY!

COST: FREE

As a self-certified app-a-holic, I usually jump all over a good app-finding application or website.  What started as a daily online report of some of the best available free/now-free apps on iTunes eventually evolved into this app.  As a long-time subscriber of the mailing list for Free App Report, the option to get notifications straight to my iPod and the new ease this app presented for browsing its reviews made it an instant hit.

RECOMMENDATION: After a bit of a buggy beginning (which only served to demonstrate the dedication of the developer for noting and fixing issues almost immediately!) this is one of those apps I check almost every day.  Fantastic reports and helpful summaries (including several screenshots) of each application are also much appreciated.  If you like apps for finding apps, this is one of the best.

#81 - Photogram

TITLE: Photogram
SCORE: 4 / 5

 COST: FREE

Enjoy sending photographs to friends or family but want a snazzier way to do it in bulk? Fear not! Here we have Photogram, which allows you to add up to four pictures to a themed collage with option to add comments for those of you wanting to tell a story.  Email the finished piece to individuals or by assigned groups, such as family (that you want to expose to your vacation photos in better detail).

RECOMMENDATION: Quick, simple, and does what it's supposed to.  Also offers a nice variety of themes to choose from based on your photographs (ie. Baby themed stuff, vacation, holidays, etc.)

#80 - Piictu

TITLE: Piictu
SCORE: 5 / 5
NOTE: THIS APP IS Wi-Fi/ONLINE ONLY!

COST: FREE

If you enjoy photography apps and specifically ones of a social online nature, this is probably one of the more fun ones you'll find. Create a Piictu profile, then browse the different themes to find ones you would like to contribute to.  Want to upload a picture of something geeky in your room? Your favorite pair of shoes? Something strange around your house? Alternatively, come up with your own theme to allow other users to submit their photos to the pile!

RECOMMENDATION: Good God, get me away from this thing.  If you like photography-based social apps, this one will swallow your soul.

#79 - Shop To It

TITLE: Shop To It: Canadian Deals & Stores
SCORE: 5 / 5
NOTE: THIS APP IS Wi-Fi/ONLINE ONLY!

COST: FREE

There are a ton of good deal-grabbing applications already available on iTunes.  However, you'll find few exclusive to Canadian shoppers, something that Shop to It is quick to fix.  Providing you sale/deal offers from over 80 popular shopping discount websites and over 600 well known retailers, log in every day to see how much you can save when spending in your city!

RECOMMENDATION: If you like to go shopping but you still like to save the odd buck (and obviously live in Canada), then a free app that helps you do both doesn't hurt.

#78 - Would You Ever?

TITLE: Would You Ever?
SCORE: 1.5 / 5

COST: FREE

What's sad about this game is that it has the potential to be fun.  It has the potential to be funny, addictive, and vaguely inappropriate (app developers take note: the recipe for the perfect app).  Sadly, it chooses to be none of these things? Why? I have to assume the app is just lazy like that.  Would You Ever? is a game of choices.  You are presented with the option to decide between two "Would you ever..." scenarios.  You select the one you prefer....and than it goes on to the next question.  Wooo, exciting stuff.

RECOMMENDATION: There's so much potential to take this idea further.  Why not make it an online social app? Allow users to pose their own pair of questions for each other! Allow comments for those wishing to elaborate on a more interesting choice!  Allow for a variety of categories to choose from when it comes to the questions!  Look, I'm not even thinking that hard about this right now.  Seriously, do something more with this, developers.

#77 - Kawaii Pet Megu

TITLE: Kawaii Pet Megu
SCORE: 2.5 / 5

COST: FREE

A watered down (but no less cutely fun) version of Neopets for your iPod/iPhone, Kawaii Pet Megu is a virtual pet you help raise.  Add friends, buy a house (and furniture), feed you Megu with a variety of foods, play games and prep your pet for battle against the pets of other players.

RECOMMENDATION: As I've mentioned, if you're familiar with Neopets, you know what this is about.  The graphics, variety, and gameplay don't come anywhere close to the kind of options you normally get with Neopets, but for the platform, the app is a cute little side distraction if you're away from your PC.

#76 - Voice Brief Lite

TITLE: Voice Brief Lite
SCORE: 4 / 5

 

COST: LITE (Demo) - Allows for up to 4 of the most recent posts from any source (Facebook, Google Reader, Email, etc.) to be read.  Full version is unlimited.

Do you find yourself just way too busy multitasking (or being lazy, which is more my problem) to read the many updates to the various social sites you subscribe to? How would you like to listen to them, instead? Link your Voice Brief to any source (Facebook, Twitter, Gmail, blogs, etc.) that you choose, then sit back and hit play on the application.

RECOMMENDATION: Technically not only is there nothing wrong with this app that I could find (at least in the Lite version), but the computerized voice is, for once, not your standard flat robotic charmer.  A high-quality voice really makes it a pleasure to listen to my updates!

#75 - Khan Academy

TITLE: Khan Academy - A Classroom in your Pocket
SCORE: 5 / 5

COST: FREE

Every once in a while I run across an app that impresses me for one reason or another; whether for innovation, usefulness, aesthetic value or what not.  Khan Academy is probably one of the best educational applications I've come across.  KA is a non-profit video channel featuring over 1,000 educational videos on topics ranging from school subjects (math, sciences, algebra, and more) to the more complex subjects of banking or finance.

RECOMMENDATION: Need a quick run-down of the basics in any subject? Or maybe you need a more advanced lesson? No problem! Need to take some notes while you watch? No problem! Need to view your notes, forum subjects, and videos in offline mode? Sure!

#74 - Evil Identity

TITLE: Evil Identity
SCORE: 2.5 / 5

COST: FREE
Are you drowning beneath the glory of your own evilness but have no visual way of showing it? Fear not! Evil Identity will give the world all the warning it needs! Snap a photograph or use one from your album, attach some fingerprints, pick a crime and prison that can't possibly hold you, then just sit back and let the world tremble...or just use it as a profile picture, whatever.

RECOMMENDATION: Good for a laugh or an avatar on Facebook.  Does exactly what you see, so not much room for complaint if you download it anyway (and since it's free, stop whining)

#73 - Photosynth

TITLE: Photosynth
SCORE: 5 / 5

COST: FREE

If you need a simple, clean, precise way to take panorama photographs, Photosynth is the best way to go.  An interactive UI allows you to take a shot of whatever you like, then move the camera until the guides line up properly onscreen and the new shot can be stitched together with the first. Allowing for full 360' panoramas in any direction, I've had some fantastic results with this app.

RECOMMENDATION: It may be a bit to get used to at first (if you have shaky hands, anyway), but once you've mastered hand-eye co-ordination enough to allow for a nice, straight panoramic shot, it does what it's supposed to do.

#72 - KIJJAA! Lite

TITLE: KIJJAA! Lite
SCORE: 3 /5 
NOTE: WI-FI REQUIRED (ONLINE ONLY), COMPUTER REQUIRED

COST: LITE (Demo) - At the moment, the full version has been free on iTunes for some time. Don't know if this is a permanence or not, but I'd advise adding it to your AppShopper wishlist if you miss getting the full version.

Now here's a fun little game if you feel like re-living a blast from the past.  Download this app, hop onto a computer, then follow the instructions. Using the iPod as you would an old-school controller, marvel as you control this 8-bit, Atari-esque 3D Flash game.  Using the iPod's motion sensor for movement and two simple buttons on your iPod screen to shoot, the UI could certainly be no easier.  The idea is pretty simple: you control your little 8-bit spaceship and shoot down the oncoming enemy ships, monsters...and what appear to be some form of flying fluffy Q-tips?

 

RECOMMENDATION: The idea is certainly novel (at least for me, but then I'm slow sometimes) The game-play does take a bit of getting used to and could use a bit of smoothing, but it's nothing you don't get used to and certainly worth it for the charm.

#71 - Trover

TITLE: Trover
SCORE: 5 /5 
NOTE: WI-FI REQUIRED (ONLINE ONLY)

COST: FREE

Ever find yourself walking through a city and spotting something you really like? Wether it's a piece of artistic graffiti, the ornate architecture of a nearby building, or just something beautiful you want everyone else to see, Trover provides you with a perfect social network setting to share your discoveries.  Snap a picture on the go (or choose one from your existing photo library), add a description of your choice, then add it to the feed of your location/city.  Come back and see what other people have to say about your discovery and see what else has been shared! You never know what kind of interesting stuff is hiding just out of sight! Connect with the world via the in-app friend list system to notify specific people of specific discoveries!

RECOMMENDATION: There's actually a fantastically varied list of opportunities when it comes to utilizing this application! At the bookstore or local Blockbusters? Snap a shot of what catches your interest to recommend it to a friend! Spot an exhibit or event you wish more people knew about? Whip out Trover!  The downside? Like with all Wi-Fi apps, obviously Wi-Fi is required.  In a big, bustling city with a steady stream of connections available? That's fantastic! In a small town with basic DSL in one half on a good day? Not so much.

#70 - Sketchbook X

TITLE: Sketchbook Mobile X
SCORE: 5 /5 

COST: FREE

Sufficed to say that art on the iPod/iPhone is not exactly easy.  With a bigger surface, the iPad is less troubling, but having more control over the canvas and more variety to choose from in terms of function, Sketchbook X is likely the best art/sketching application I've seen on iTunes.  The app boasts multi-touch navigation for your full screen work area (UI on demand), Layer support (and import from camera and library), visibility/transparency/merge controls over up to 3 layers, 10 levels of undo/redo functioning and much more.  Seriously, get it.

RECOMMENDATION: There's a ton of additional functions that I haven't even listed in this review.  If you like apps with artistic functions, this is extremely user friendly and versatile compared to what else is out there!

#69 - Sonar

TITLE: Sonar: Mobile Profile for Local Social Networking
SCORE: 4 /5

COST: FREE

Wether you frequent parties where you just don't know anyone or you like the creepy stalking potential of this particular app, Sonar doesn't disappoint if you need something to talk about. Signing up via Facebook (this, for some baffling reason, being the only way to be eligible for a Sonar account right now) will allow Sonar to scan your Facebook, Foursquare, and Twitter details and make them available to anyone else around you also signed up.  So if, as a woman, you needed another way to make it harder to avoid the annoying guy at the bar...this is it.  Now you can't.  Now you have something to talk about.  Yay.

RECOMMENDATION: If you can look past the obvious veil of uncomfortable stalker-vibes, this could be a fantastic social app.  Whats worst than showing up at a large party where you may know all of nobody, having no idea what to talk about or what you have in common with anyone? This will make that--alongside roping your date into your trunk at the end of the night--all the easier.  So, downside? You need a Facebook account.

#68 - BlogFire

TITLE: BlogFire
SCORE: 4 / 5

COST: FREE

There is certainly no shortage of apps to help you read your blog feeds.  Few, however, as quite as simple and straightforward as BlogFire.  Requiring no sign-up or membership of any kind (linking to your Google Reader, for example, is not necessary).  Simply run the app, choose to add the URL of any blog/site you choose that runs something you enjoy reading, then view the feeds or allow the app to send you Push Notifications each time your chosen feeds update.

RECOMMENDATION: Seriously simple to use if you're looking for a reader that will notify you of updates without any additional requirements or bells and whistles.

#67 - All-In Notes Lite

TITLE: All-In Notes Lite
SCORE: 5 / 5
NOTE: While this app is Lite, it is fully functioning.  The difference between it and the full version is just the absence of ads.

 

COST: LITE (Demo)

If you are the sort of organized person that desperately needs a way to keep track of notes, tasks, ideas, plans, lists, or anything else, All-In Notes is a real jewel.  A note-taking app with option to add photos to your notes and color-coordinate them according to whatever you choose, AIN is a really easy, organized way to keep track of a disorganized day!

RECOMMENDATION: I went through a wide variety of note-taking apps to find one(s) that I enjoyed.  AIN makes it in as one of my top three, I really couldn't keep track of all my ideas (and app review plans) as well without it!

#66 - Alice: Madness Returns

TITLE: Alice: Madness Returns (World)
SCORE: 5 / 5

 

COST: FREE

Another instance where my rampant sense of nerdiness overcomes my professional reviewing ethics (whatever those may be).  As a huge fan of American McGee's, Alice, the 2000 game release about a disturbed young woman  undergoing a very twisted journey through her "Wonderland", news of a continuation to this creepy, visceral game eventually led to being referred to this app.  An interactive storybook meant to bridge the exposition gap between the first game and the upcoming second, A: MR is every bit as atmospheric and twisted as the games themselves.

RECOMMENDATION:  If you enjoyed the first game, you really can't pass this app up. The graphics are beautiful and the story very satisfying if you're even remotely into the creepy or odd...

#65 - Solomon's Keep Lite

TITLE: Solomon's Keep Lite
SCORE: 4 / 5

COST: LITE (Demo)

Essentially a more combat-based RPG, Solomon's Keep has you controlling a wizard, doing magic battle with a variety of opponents and earning experience as you do. Wield a variety of weapons, choose from various skills and spells, visit the stores, and make your way to defeating the Dark Wizard to prove your standing at the Wizarding academy!

RECOMMENDATION: The lite version will allow you as far as the first boss, but it's plenty of fun, the graphics are attractive, and the controls responsive.  If you enjoy RPG's, then the game is worth at least a look!

#64 - Opinionaided

TITLE: Opinionaided
SCORE: 5 / 5
NOTE: This app is ONLINE ONLY

COST: FREE

A fun alternative to sites like Yahoo!Answers, Opinionaided is an entertaining, addictive little social app that allows you to create a profile and ask/answer various questions posed by other members.  Include a picture with your question to further illustrate if you like.  The option to vote on and/or leave a comment is there for every submitted question.

RECOMMENDATION: While it doesn't sound particularly thrilling, this is a surprisingly addictive application! New restrictions (though bitterly complained about on the iTunes store review) are actually there to root out the more juvenile, non-serious of questions, making for a pretty interesting, mature social group that welcomes all ages!

#63 - ZombieBooth Lite

TITLE: ZombieBooth Lite
SCORE: 3 / 5

COST: LITE (Demo)

After my previous review of HauntedFace Lite, I just couldn't resist reviewing the alternative for the zombie-discerning.  ZBL is the same basic concept: take a photograph or choose an existing photograph out of your album, line up eyes and mouth guides where they ought to be, then watch as your photograph morphs into one of the undead!

RECOMMENDATION: I can only review as far as the Lite version goes.  Unlike HFL, ZBL's effects aren't quite as good.  The zombie effect can look a bit distorted depending on the size and angle of the photograph you choose.  If you get it right, however, it does look pretty freaky and fun.

#62 - WiFi Photo Transfer

TITLE: WiFi Photo Transfer
SCORE: 5 / 5

COST: FREE

If you don't enjoy moving your photos or videos off your iPod or iPhone due to the poor effects it can have on quality, fear no more! WiFi Photo Transfer is a great new way to transfer you stuff to your desktop via your browser! Simply run the app, choose which files you would like to access, then connect to the IP address shown to retrieve your data (warning: keep this address private in order to avoid other people accessing your data!)

 

RECOMMENDATION: If you're tired of other options, this isn't a bad way to access your data.  Reliable, quick, and simple.

#61 - Rack Stare: TSG

TITLE: Rack Stare: The Sex Game
SCORE: 3.5 / 5

COST: LITE (Demo)

First off, I'll kindly ask you leave your useless powers of being offended at the door.  If you are capable of that, downloading this app will provide some definite giggles.  Take on the role of a man sitting next to an attractive woman.  Every time she looks away, you must try and steal a peak at her chest for as long as you can.  Beware: if she catches you, the game is most definitely over.

RECOMMENDATION: Not only amusing in a 4th grader, giggly sort of way, but challenging as well! As said, if you're not a weeping lily, you should have fun with this app.