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)

I found this fascinating quote today:

An apple a day… gives the media lots to talk about.  This week both the tech news and so called “mainstream media” was all abuzz about the long rumored, finally revealed, “tablet” device from Steve Jobs and his team at Apple.  When all the dust settled, as expected, everyone’s attention turned to the “core” of the Apple iPad, and the heated comparisons and complaints began in force.  While many have compared and contrasted the iPad to the Amazon Kindle, other tablet PC’s and Netbooks, there is one comparison that I haven’t seen, and one that is most suited for Dad-O-Matic readers: The iPad vs. the iDad!dadomatic.com, The iPad vs. The iDad! – Dad-O-Matic, Jan 2010

Read on at the link above to learn about the iDad. It’s the real winner in today’s technology rush.

iPad Nano from Creighton on Vimeo.

The real news out of Apple today was the iPad Nano!

(it’s humor, laugh a little)

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)
• The Apple Tablet Hype by the Numbers (readwriteweb.com)

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.

Robyn provide a tip on taking a screenshot or screen capture of the iPhone or iPod Touch screen.  It’s simple, just hold down the Home button, the one at the bottom, and then push down the Sleep button at the top. You’ll hear a picture taking sound and it’s done.

The picture is saved to the the Saved Photos folder under the Photos app.  You can then use it the same as any other image stored on the iPhone or Touch.

Full screenshot tip on Robyn’s Online World.

Here are a couple of images to help you locate the Home and Sleep buttons on your iPod or iPhone.

iPod iPhone Home Button

iPod iPhone Sleep Button