Goodreader for iPad App Review
Goodreader
Developer: Yuri Selukoff Use of iPad’s features: 1/5
Price: £0.59 User interface: 3/5
Version Reviewed: 2.8.1 Reuse value: 5/5
Goodreader is another app entering the PDF/File reading market. I am pleased to say, that this app is by far the best. It can read every file that Safari can read, like Office files, iWork files, jpgs, PDFs, xls etc. Itcan also handle 200+ mb files, which is impressive, as many other apps limit you to 50mbs.
Getting files into goodreader can be done in several ways. The first is to connect your computer to the server (your iPhone/iPad) using the details goodreader gives you. From there, you just drag your files across. You can also plug your iPhone/iPad in to your computer,select the Apps tab in iTunes and add files from there. If you want to, you can also brows ethe web for download links in GoodReader itself.
The downside is that GoodReader can be awfully clunky. Scrolling isn’t smooth, it’s jerky and doesn’t feel natural.
Conclusion
If you want a large file on your iPhone/iPad, GoodReader is for you. If you just want to view simple PDFs, I’d pick another app, due to Goodreader’s clunkiness.
Rating: 3/5
Click here to download the iPhone version
Click here to download the iPad version
Switcheasy Nude iPad Case Review
Switcheasy Nude iPad Case
Manufacturer: Switcheasy
Price: £24.95 (http://www.gearzap.com/switcheasy-nude-ipad-case-screen-protector-and-stand-ultra-clear.html)
The Switcheasy Nude iPad Case is one of the best ways to protect your iPad. But why? Firstly, it’s 1mm thick and you can see the back of your iPad through the case. This means that you can protect your iPad, whilst showing it off. Also in the case is a screen protector, two stands, a screen cloth, two dock connector protectors and two headphone jack protectors.
The case fits snugly and feels great. It’s almost as if there isn’t a case at all, which is great. In my experience, the case protects the back of your iPad extremely well, protecting it from knocks, bumps and scratches. To protect the front, simply use the included screen protector. This is another great reason to buy this case, it comes with a little goody bag full of extras.
In the box, you get two stands, one is black and the other is white. They are easy to set up and will stand your iPad in portrait or landscape orientation, so you don’t have to lay it down on the table.
Also included are two dock connector protectors and two headphone jack protectors. These are really handy to stop dust getting in and they’re easy to put on aswell.
The Switcheasy Nude for iPad case comes in a variety of colours, including clear, black, turquoise, orange and red.
So, is this case good value? Definitely! If you’re looking for an inexpensive way to protect your iPad, you have to buy this case. It offers great protection, it looks and feels great and it comes with a bag of extras. These are what make this a great case.
Rating: 5/5
Thanks to GearZap for sending this case to me to review 
iPad skins: http://www.gearzap.com/ipad-accessories/ipad-skins.html
iPad Accessories: http://www.gearzap.com/ipad-accessories.html
Switcheasy Nude iPad Case: http://www.gearzap.com/switcheasy-nude-ipad-case-screen-protector-and-stand-ultra-clear.html
FatBooth App Review
Posted by Tom in Entertainment, iPhone on 27/05/2010
FatBooth
Developer: PiVi & Co Use of iPhone’s features: 1/5
Price: £0.59 User interface: 3/5
Version Reviewed: 1.0 Reuse value: 5/5
From the creators of AgingBooth, comes FatBooth! This app works with iPhones, iPod Touches and iPads, but if you want to take pictures, you’ll need an iPhone.
You take a picture (or select one) and it automatically detects the face in the picture. If you’re taking a picture, there is a useful guide to show you where your subject’s face is. You tell it where the eyes, mouth and chin are, then click a big button that says “Ready? Go! >>” and the magic happens. You will find, that after a few seconds, your subject’s face will appear much fatter!
Conclusion:
This app is great for having fun with your friends and family. It’s amusing almost every time you use it. However, it does not do anything else. This doesn’t matter much, because the app is so amusing
Rating: 4/5
Here File File Review
Here, File, File!
Developer: Graceful Construction Use of iPhone’s features: 3/5
Price: £5.99 User interface: 5/5
Version Reviewed: 1.1.3 Reuse value: 5/5
This app basically lets you access files and folders on your Mac. You can connect to as many Macs as you like, as long as they’re running the Here, File, File Client. The app automatically detects these Macs and connects to them and lets you choose a password, so that if someone steals your iPhone, they can’t get at your documents.
So, why is this so good? Well, you have access to EVERY file and folder on your Mac. If you have videos, you can play them on your iphone, same with music and photos. It lets you attach or email a link to the file, so if you’ve forgotten to send a photo to someone, simply access it with the app, then email it to someone! It even has a built in PDF viewer.
The app is super easy to use and super easy to set up. The interface is gorgeous, making it not only easy to use, but also a pleasure to use. To connect to your Mac, simply tap on the big image of its screen. If you are deep down in your Mac, it’s still easy to get back up to the top.
Conclusion:
I’ve tried a few iPhone file sharing/accessing apps and this is by far my favourite. It’s got a lovely UI and powerful features. This is an app that’s a pleasure to use and does everything brilliantly.
Rating: 5/5
Parachute Panic HD App Review
Posted by Tom in Entertainment, Games, iPhone on 18/04/2010
Parachute Panic HD
Developer: FDG Entertainment Use of iPhone’s features: 3/5
Price: £1.19 User interface: 4/5
Version Reviewed: 1.5 Replay value: 4/5
We have seen many games that have been made in using drawn graphics and not many of them have had very exciting gameplay. This is an exception.
The aim of parachute panic is very simple. Stick figures jump out of planes and start free falling down towards the boat below. The player has to tap on them to open their parachute and then swipe the wind to help them avoid obstacles and land on the ships. As the characters fall, many objects get in your way, such as rainclouds, helicopters and ufos. You must destroy the UFOs and helicopters by tapping on them three times.
Every so often, you will see a Doodle Jump creature fall from the sky. Tap this as many times as you can to get bonuses.
Make sure you have the volume turned up when playing this game, as the music is hilarious!
Conclusion:
There isn’t much more to say really. Parachute Panic HD is an extremely addictive and fun app to play. Go and buy it!
Rating: 5/5
ColourSplash App Review
Posted by Tom in Accelerometer, Photography, Utilities, Video, iPhone on 07/04/2010
ColourSplash
Developer: PocketPixels Use of iPhone’s features: 4/5
Price: £1.19 User interface: 4/5
Version Reviewed: 1.4.1 Replay value: 5/5
ColourSplash is a photo editing application. When you first launch it, it shows you some helpful videos on how to get started.
You can choose to take a new photo or select one you already have. Coloursplash turns your photo black and white. What’s so special about this? you ask. Well, you can rub your finger over specific parts of the photo and they will be restored to full colour. For example, you can take a pitcure of the beach and just make the sand coloured, the rest will stay gray. There is also another tab which lets you turn parts of the photo back to grey, incase you made a mistake.
This application runs in portrait and landscape orientation, depending on what orientation your photos are.
Once you have finished colouring in your photo, you can easily share your work to Facebook, Twitter or Flickr. The app also enables you to save multiple sessions, so that you can go back to editing a specific photo later. This is very handy, because otherwise you would have to start projects over and over again. You can also tap the button at the button at the top which will change what you have coloured in to red, to show you the boundaries between what you have coloured in and the grey. If you want, you can also hide the toolbars, just to concentrate on the image.
Conclusion
If you don’t take many photos or are not particularly interested in photos, then maybe this app is not for you. If, however, you love editing and playing around with photos, go and download this app! It has a simple, yet intuitive user interface that lets you create stunning looking photos.
Rating: 4/5
PushMail App Review
Posted by Tom in Push Notifications, Utilities on 05/04/2010
PushMail
Developer: Simon Patarin Use of iPhone’s features: 2/5
Price: £1.79 User interface: 4/5
Version Reviewed: 2.11 Replay value: 5/5
I’m sure many of you (including me) have wanted a push notification when you receive an email. It’s all very well hearing a sound when you receive an email, but if you don’t feel like going in to the mail app, then this app is for you.
Setup is extremely simple. You have to open up the app and make an account with dopushmail. Essentially, your account will be ‘yourusername@dopushmail.com’. Whichever emails are recieved at that address will be sent via a Push Notification.
In the app itself, you can customise various settings. You can choose just to view who the email is from, or just the subject, or just the body of the message, or all! You can customise what sounds you hear, the colour and more!
I do not see apps using push notifications that much, so to have an app that saves me time and uses this feature of the iPhone is incredible. It is a simple, yet extremely useful application, which I recommend you go and download!
For details on how to set up your email account to forward emails to your ‘dopushmail’ address, see here.
Conclusion
A brilliant, yet simple little app that saves you time. Go and buy it now!
Rating: 4/5
Air Mouse Pro App Review
Posted by Tom in Accelerometer, Other, Productivity, Utilities, iPhone on 04/04/2010
Air Mouse Pro
Developer: RPA Tech Use of iPhone’s features: 5/5
Price: £1.19 User interface: 4/5
Version Reviewed: 2.0.1 Replay value: 5/5
Ever wanted to use your iphone as a fully functional keyboard, mouse and much more? Well, now you can, with Air Mouse Pro!
Setup is very simple. Simply download and install AIr Mouse Server, which lets your iPhone connect to it. Then, launch the app. For the mouse, you have two options. FIrstly, you can use the iPhone’s screen as a giant trackpad and tap to click. This trackpad also supports multi-touch gestures. On the side of the trackpad, there is a scroll area, which works quite effectively. The second option is to use the accelerometer to wave your phone around. This is fun, but not very effective, as it tends to jutter all over the place. In portrait mode, the keyboard shows up automatically. From there you can type, or select the other controls, which include large buttons to control your web browser, media controls and an application switcher, which looks rather like the dock in Mac OS X. If you want rid of the keyboard, you simply shake your phone and you get a nice large trackpad. In landscape, however, the keyboard does not show up automatically, you have to shake to bring it up.
The user interface is simple and clean and it works like a dream. You may be asking yourself, do I have any need for an app like this. Well, download the free version and see what you think.
Conclusion
Air Mouse Pro is a simple, yet powerful app that lets you control your mac or pc from a distance. If you have a Mac Mini connected to your TV, for example, and you don’t want a keyboard and mouse trailing around, download this app! If you’re not sure, download the free version and try it for yourself.
Rating: 5/5
Super Monkey Ball 2 App Review
Posted by Tom in Accelerometer, Entertainment, Games, iPhone on 24/02/2010
Super Monkey Ball 2
Developer: Sega Use of iPhone’s features: 3/5
Price: £2.99 User interface: 5/5
Version Reviewed: 1.1 Replay value: 3/5
Almost everyone has played Super Monkey Ball 1. We were all amazed by how simple, yet addictive it was. We thought it could not get any better. Then, the sequel came along. The sequel mimicks rthe first game in a lot of ways. It has colourful graphics, some fun gameplay and slightly too sensitive controls.
The game uses the iphone’s features well. It produces colourful graphics and fun accelerometer control. However, there is no multi-touch controls, which is a bit disappointing. I would’ve liked to see some sort of touch controls, but the game is fine as it is.
The user interface is very intuitive. Easy to navigate menus make it quick and easy to start a new game, or continue the last one. As I said before, the graphics are colourful and cheery, making the game an enjoyable experience.
SMB2 does not have much replay value. You can play through over a hundred levels, but after that, you’ve completed the game. Unless the developer plans to come out with some more levels or new mini-games, I don’t think you can play this that much once you’ve finished it.
Conclusion
Super Monkey Ball 2 is a fun, fast paced game, which most people will like. If you liked the first SUper Monkey Ball, you will definatley like this one. If you are not a fan of accelerometer based games, I’d stay away.
Rating: 4/5
Incase Slider Case Review
Manufacturer: Incase Price: £24.95
The Incase Slider is a case that is available for the iPhone, iPhone 3G and iPhone 3GS. It comes in black, grey or red. The first question you probably ask when buying a case is ‘How well will it protect my phone?’ Good question. The Incase Slider will protect your iPhone from a few knocks and bumps, but if you plan on dropping it onto a pavement, maybe this isn’t the best case for you. The case is very thin and has no padding on the inside or outside. If you want a case that can truly protect your iPhone, I’d try something like the Otterbox case.
The second question you will ask is ‘Will it look good on my iPhone?’ The answer to that is yes. From the front, you can not even tell the case is on and on the back, it is a matte finish, making it look professional. There is a hole for the camera and a hole for the volume buttons and silent switch. There are two more for the headphone jack and the power button. The case feels good when you hold it in your hand and it makes you feel that your iPhone is well protected.
‘Is it easy to get on?’ Yes, it is. The bottom half of the case slides off, so that you can slip your phone in easily, then slide the bottom on. When you want to take your phone out, simplyremove the bottom, slide your phone out and there you go. Extremely simple and quick. The design team did a good job to make this easy, unlike the Speck Candyshell, which takes a lot of work to put your phone in or take it out.
The build quality on this case is pretty good. I’ve been using it on my iPhone for about 6 months now and you can see all the scratches on the back. This is good, hwoever, because I don’t want those scratches on my iPhone! Because the holes are quite big, dust acn often get in and settle on your phone. I often find that when I take the case off, the back of my phone is littered with dust. This is easy to wipe off, but it gets annoying.
Conclusion
The Incase Slider is a relatively cheap iPhone case. It will do a good job at protecting your iPhone and it will still look good. I recommend this case to anyone, unless you will be dropping your iPhone from extreme heights!
Rating: 4/5