Entries Tagged 'Review' ↓

Movies by Flixster Main Screen Screenshot

Movies, a rather plain name for an iPhone application, Flixster prefers it.  Movies app provides a portal for viewing information about movies. Sounds simple right? This app is comprehensive in spite of its name.

Movies divides movie information up into sections: Box Office, Theaters, Upcoming, DVD, My Movies.

Box office is what it sounds like, movies currently at the box office.  Movies are organized by Opening and Top Box Office.  These can be sorted by popularity, rating, or title.  This section, as all sections and screens, is searchable.

Box office is also the default screen.  It has the standard set of movie options you’ll see on the other choices, Theater, Upcoming, etc.

Those choices include viewing the trailer, if available, and viewing more information about the movie.

Movies by Flixster Movie Information Screenshot

The next image shows what you get when a movie s selected.  Flixster users’ rating, critics’ rating, and what your friends think.  Typically run time and rating are also show at the top.

The trailer option is listed her if available as well as showtimes, your rating and photos from the movie.  This is only the top portion of this long scrolling screen though.

Movies by Flixster Movie Information Screen 2 Screenshot

The next section of the Movie information screen, scrolled down to, is a synopsis (hit and miss here), a small selection of photos, and then the cast. The cast listings are clickable.

Beyond this section are reviews by your friends, and by other Flixster users in general.  Movie reviews include the beginning of each comment with the ability to select a specific comment to see in full detail.

Again, you get to this Movie information screen from any of the options: Box Office, Theater, etc..

Movies by Flixster Movie Information Screen 3 Screenshot

The bottom of the Movie information screen rounds up the reviews from Flixster users but also gives you some other movie website links.

Special bonus here is that these don’t leave the Movies application. They open up a special in-line browser window to the site selected. This allows you to jump to say IMDb (my personal favorite) and not have to restart the Movies app.  You simply click the DONE button and poof, back to Movies.

That’s a feature more applications should be taking advantage of.

Movies by Flixster Theaters Screen Screenshot

The Theaters screen is the last one I’d like to share.  Theaters are shown by favorites then by distance by default. Users can mark any theater a favorite.

Selecting a theater provides the showtimes of course, but there’s more. Phone number, address (which jumps out to Google Maps and allows you to come back), Yelp connection (which goes to the Yelp app with a search for nearby restaurants), and a selector for showtimes date.

It’s a load of features for a movies information application. There are a few other applications going after the same market but in my opinion, this is not only a well rounded application for movies but it’s one of the best built iPhone Touch apps I’ve used so far.

For the record, there is a Flixster website.

Movies app link.

Have you used this app or another in the same vein? Please comment below and tell me what’s better or best.

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• Flixster to Acquire Rotten Tomatoes (mashable.com)

Words With Friends

Words with friends isn’t you, me, and a dictionary; it’s a take on Scrabble(TM) developed just for the iPhone and Touch. The play is the same but the board layout is unique.  You’ll find double word and triple letter scoring just not in the same spots.

WWF is entirely touch play, beginning with game selection.

Words with friends screenshot game selection

Games where it’s your move are displayed in time sequence from most recent opponent move to oldest. In the shot above you’ll notice the eyes. Those indicate your opponent is watching the game. Additionally, if a number is displayed on the line, it means you have chat messages waiting for you in the game.

Tap on any Words with line and the game is highlighted. The screen then slides to the left displaying the board.

Words with friends screenshot playing board

The game board has two views. Zoomed out if the default. Zoomed in allows you to move it around.

Words with friends screenshot zoomed game board

Playing is easy; just tap the letter and drag it onto the board. If it ends up on the wrong square, just tap and drag it again.  There are buttons to Play (submit), Recall (clear placed letters), swap (allows swapping letters, don’t preselect, select after hitting swap), and Resign.

Topping up the screen are the Games and Chat buttons. Games goes back to the sorted list. Chat takes you to chat just for that specific game.

Play isn’t instant or demanding. Each player takes their turn and then the game waits for the opponent to make their move. There is no game timer, nor nudge option.

The game uses built in spell check, preventing players from making illegal moves. As in Scrabble, words formed cross-wise also must work..

Locating other players is a bit odd. You can invite someone from your contact list, a random person, search for another player by name, or choose Pass and Play.

Pass and Play means you and your opponent play on the same iPhone versus each other. You just take a turn and pass the iPhone over.  I’ve not tried this mode out yet.

The game is crash free, plays with wireless, and has push notifications. Being so easy to pick up and play makes this a great value and an equally great time sink.

Words With Friends on iTunes Store

Apple’s iPhone and Touch app, Brushes, is coming to the iPad.  The video above demonstrates how this tiny app can turn out true art work.

The buzz around the app on the iPad is the social networking built in. Images can be saved to Photos as before but can now be emailed, posted to Flickr, sent to Twitter, and sent to Facebook. The iPhone Users Guide has screenshots.

The Apple Event provided a Brushes iPad demo, please check out this video:

Based on these demos, I’ll be purchasing the Brushes app for the iPhone.

Is this an app you’ll be using? Would it be a killer app for the iPad for you?

Robert Sanzalone, @pacificIT, shares his comments, questions, and concerns about the Apple iPad. Robert brings his long IT background to bear, providing an informed opinion.

The audio iPad commentary was recorded at Twad.io.

Robert Sanzalone blogs at http://www.sanzalone.com.

What is twaud.io?
twaud.io lets you share audio with your twitter followers. Think of it as twitpic but for mp3s.
Follow @twaudio to keep updated on new developments.

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• iPad First Impressions (smarterware.org)
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David Pogue, New York Times Technology writer, gives us his first impressions of the Apple iPad.

To quote:

Some wild speculations of a guy who’s never even tried the iPad. Believe me, I’ll review it when I get one. But I like what I’m seeing.

David tackles the idea behind the iPad, how he feels it compares to a netbook, and why he believes it isn’t just an oversized iPod Touch.

It’s a solid read but admittedly done without having one in hand. David commentary is evenhanded and left me anxious for his hand’s on review.

Josh Highland shared this video on his blog.

iPad, it’s a new breed of technology. That’s the phrase that stuck with me watching this video.  This isn’t really a review of the product; it’s more of sharing the passion video by Apple employees.

If you watch this and don’t want one I’d be surprised. Enjoy.

Receiving the iPod Touch as a gift is going to be life changing. It’s not just the plethora of applications nor their diversity.  The key is the interface rethinking; applications are no longer designed around a full size screen and a keyboard.  Flickr has given us an app that has adapted well to the platform.

See the screenshot of the Flickr application for the iPod Touch and iPhone. Starting the app places you on a screen where a stream of your contacts recent uploads fades in and out.

Along the bottom Recent, You and Contacts are just a click away. Each takes you a viewing screen designed around those specific items.

In the upper right corner you’ll notice a camera. That’s the ‘just a click away’ uploader function of the app., Just click, pick and upload. Optionally the title, description and tags can be edited before upload.

The application allows favoriting, commenting and forwarding. Forwarding can only be done via email and requires email already be set up for the device.

Viewing on the iPhone or Touch is done in groups of 40 photos. Viewing one’s own photos, the app selects the 40 most recent. The same is true when Recent and Contacts are chosen.

Within a group of photos, sliding works well but there are no ‘pinch’ and ’swipe’ gestures that work.

The overall layout is usable but is slightly finger unfriendly. Some of the links are quite close together and not buttons but direct links.

Quality:  4/5

Usability: 4/5

Continued use/re-use: 5/5

Value/cost: 5/5

If you use Flickr and have an iPhone or iPod Touch I’d rate this as a must have app. The link at the beginning of the article should take you straight there.

Find me on Flickr.

Future apps I’ll be reviewing: Sudoku apps, News apps, other games. Suggestions welcome.

Scrivener Trial NaNoWriMo message

Every day I see this message pop up. It’s the Scrivener NaNoWriMo 2009 Trial message. This software is my success story for this year’s National Novel Writing Month.

Scrivener is a Mac native application geared especially towards novel and scriptwriting. It allows easy organization of work into projects, manuscripts, parts, and subdivisions, such as chapters or scenes.

Research notes are kept in the Scrivener as well. The same interface allows not only keeping text in your research section but also images and links. It’s as handy as drag and drop.

Search has a Mac native feel, a la Spotlight.  Start typing in the search bar and the left hand bar immediately responds by only showing subsections (in my case chapters) that have that search word included. In turn, the search word is highlighted in each section. I’ve found this feature especially useful for name use. Don’t want two characters with the same name right?

Search has more than just simple text searching. Here’s a snapshot of the search drop down.

Full Screen mode is nice. A single column down the center of the screen is the initial set up. Configuration is adjustable to place the column, set the column width, and the transparency of the background. Many writers will find this their preferred mode I think. It blocks out distractions well.

Document exporting is robust. Microsoft formats are selectable, as well as PDF, RTF, and plain text. Selection is allowed at differing levels, allowing any part of the document to be exported. This feature allowed easy email off to my wife of the novel.

Scrivener has other features I’ve been enjoying. It doesn’t have a couple of features I’d love though.

• Web publishing
• One click email sending

Will I be purchasing Scrivener at the end of the trial? Right now it seems a sure bet. Its interface is straightforward. There are plenty of ways to customize and export. Support is built in for CSV version management. (computer geeks will get that)

Find the Scrivener NaNoWriMo deal.

Find me as tojosan on NaNoWriMo.

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Spore Islands on Facebook screenshot

Maxis and EA bring Spore Fun to Facebook

Love Spore? Love cute Facebook games? This is for you.

Spore Islands isn’t like the full blown Spore game available on PC and Mac.  In this version of Spore, you design a creature and let him loose on your own private island.

You pick from several types of islands to call home. Once you pick, that’s our creature’s home island for the rest of the game. On the island will be two ‘wild’ creatures.  These are game generated creatures. Additionally, you can invite up to two friends to join you on your island.

Evolution

Spore Islands has creature design and evolution. It retains some of the same elements, such as picking body parts, and choosing upgrades.  Evolution though is limited not based on your creature’s success but on an allotment of DNA points. DNA points regenerate over time, up to a maximum of 12 available.

Each change of your creature costs one or more DNA points. That includes changes to diet, speed, and attack power selections.

Check it out. You’ll see sliders to change. Your creature’s appearance changes as you adjust the sliders.

Spore Islands on Facebook evolution

Over time, you’ll find a combination that works well on your island type. At that point, you’ll not need to spend evolution points on a regular basis. DNA points can then be used for changing creature appearance and other visual changes. Also DNA points allow abilities to be purchased.

Facebook Gaming

Facebook brings along it’s own poisoning of anything good though. Like other applications, you can purchase points.  Maxis calls them DNA points, but like Zynga games, they can be purchased or through partner deals. In this game it’s going to be extra tempting.  Who doesn’t want special abilities and a cute hate for their creatures.

If you’ve had a chance to play this, please share your stories and thoughts with me.

Yours,

Todd

Find me on Facebook.

Spore Islands on Facebook

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