The iPhone App Review : iPhone, iPod Touch and iPad App Reviews

The iPhone App Review : iPhone, iPod Touch and iPad App Reviews

VirtualBrowser for Chrome: Bringing the Full Web to Your iPhone

May 3rd, 2013

Luke Patrick

Price: $9.99 (on sale for $3.99)
Rating:
VirtualBrowser for Chrome: Written & Video iPhone App Review

VirtualBroswer for iPhone 1 168x300 VirtualBrowser for Chrome: Bringing the Full Web to Your iPhone

Reviewed by Luke Patrick

If you’ve been a long-term iPhone user, you’re likely aware of one of the phone’s biggest drawbacks: It doesn’t happen to work very well with flash or javascript. For that matter, if you’re looking for a true blue Chrome experience for iOS, you’re going to be fat out of luck. Thankfully, though, you can now use a fantastic new application called VirtualBrowser for Chrome to get the job done. The application uses cloud browsing and browser emulation to bring you your extensions, games, and flash videos—directly on your iPhone. If your curiosity has been piqued, you’ll find our whole review contained below beyond the break.

Concept and Functionality

The idea behind VirtualBrowser is actually nothing new, but being contained within packaging this tight and attractive certainly helps. The app uses what’s called cloud browser technology: In essence, you’re not using an iPhone browser at all, but rather are accessing an emulation of Chrome contained on a server elsewhere. That gets messy though, so we’ll leave off there.

All you quite need to know is that this technology allows you to use Chrome extensions, bookmarks, javascript (with a full Java implementation, including Java-applets and JNLP/Webstart applications), and flash video on your iPhone. Some Java examples are Runescape, Etrade and Scottrade. All of this is served up to you within the application, and in a way, it’s exactly like using Chrome on your desktop. The performance is decent, and if you’ve ever used the Chrome browser before, you’ll know exactly how to get around here. The app can both emulate a mouse and respond to your touch. There’s also a handy touch-type keyboard to receive your input. All in all, it’s a near approximation of the real thing, and as the features are working, it’s a solid one too.

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Stir Up Your Child’s Imagination With Scribble My VeggieTales Free

May 3rd, 2013

globalwhirl

Price: Free
Rating:
Scribble My VeggieTales Story Free: Written iPad App Review

Stir Up Your Childs Imagination With Scribble My VeggieTales Free

Reviewed by Michael Naber

Scribble My VeggieTales Story Free, from Fingerprint, is an app for the iPad. The point of the app is to promote creativity in children and lets them write and draw books. As many of our loyal readers are parents looking for interesting apps to share with their kids, this app is a complete family and kid appropriate app. A common worrying factor for a lot of parents is In-App Purchases. The most expensive In-App Purchase that can be bought is $2.99. So rest assured that you won’t be getting a $1000 iTunes bill because your kid accidentally overspent on some In-App Purchases.

A quick tip for parents: In-App Purchases can be turned off from the device settings. Other than that, the app is really designed for kids, and is aligned with the popular brand VeggieTales. Everything within the app is designed to enhance creativity on an amazing device such as an iPad. I’ll go into the design later. But the main idea you should get is that it’s free, suitable for all ages, and can be a great educational tool.

Features

The features of Scribble My VeggieTales Story are actually impressive. The iPad application includes a storyline, digital coloring book, a blank book, and auto-share functions. One of the genius parts of this app is the books. Your child can write or draw a book right on the iPad. Then sending it to yourself is only a few taps away. This is one of the main focuses of the app, and has the potential to really bring out the creativity in children.

Another great feature of the app is the Family Play Circle. This let’s you track your child’s progress and creativity skills within the app. It’s also set up to be useful to track other children under the same account if multiple children are sharing an iPad. The app comes with complete analysis of your kid including minutes played, graphical learning reports, etc. One last benefit is that the app is COPPA compliant, so your personal information will be very well protected.

screen shot 2013 04 04 at 8 17 08 am 232x300 Stir Up Your Childs Imagination With Scribble My VeggieTales Free

Scribble My VeggieTales Story Free

Design

The design of Scribble My VeggieTales Story Free is clearly built for kids. Everything from the backgrounds, to the buttons, to the entire layout is custom designed for children. The inviting design and interface makes the app an excellent place to foster creativity within a child. As I mentioned above, the purpose of the app is to let your child create a custom book.

Overall Value

Overall, the app provides some drawing tools that can help to create thoughtful and cute drawings so I would really recommend this app to anyone that has kids and has an iPad.

veggie qrcode Stir Up Your Childs Imagination With Scribble My VeggieTales Free

Scribble My VeggieTales Story Free

Scribble My VeggieTales Free – iPhone app requires iOS 5.1 or later and is compatible with iPad. A small expedite fee was paid to speed up the publication of this review.

The iPhone app reviews rating:

“The best iPhone apps and the best iPad apps are reviewed by TheiPhoneAppReview.com”

Fend off Nasty Viral Baddies in Jack Invaders

May 2nd, 2013

Sarah Hanlon

Price: $0.99
Rating:
Jack Invaders: Written & Video iPhone Game Review

jack invaders ss1 e1367240927200 300x168 Fend off Nasty Viral Baddies in Jack Invaders

Reviewed by Sarah Hanlon

To me, arcade shooters are classics that everyone loves. In essence, they’re timeless. It’s always fun to play a new game that feels like something we’ve enjoyed for years and years. What’s even better is playing old-school games on new devices like our high tech iPhone!

Jack Invaders, developed by Mirko Paloniemi, is a fun new arcade shooter for iPhone. Can you protect Jack from the virus in his body?

Concept and Gameplay:

Jack Invaders, though it looks like something you would’ve played before, is definitely unlike anything you’ve seen. Playing the role of innocent Jack’s immune system, you must defend his body from the attacking virus by shooting it with your turret. There are three layers of blocks protecting Jack from virus cells, and your job is to keep these blocks intact. If a virus cell breaks through the wall, the game is over. Green cells can be killed with one shot, yellow with two, and red with three.

Jack Invaders includes two modes for you to play through. Regular mode allows you to stand up against Jack’s virus and fight for 10 levels, each with increasing difficulty. The second mode, Arcade, pits you against the virus without any upgrades. It’s a test to see how long you can survive, and a test that’s extremely difficult to pass.

As far as thoughts on gameplay, I can definitely say that Jack Invaders needs an option to scale difficulty. When I first started playing it took me numerous tries to pass the very first level. As you collect upgrades and improve your turret the game becomes slightly easier, but it’s extremely frustrating as a beginner.

Features:

jack invaders ss2 e1367240939610 300x168 Fend off Nasty Viral Baddies in Jack Invaders

Reviewed by Sarah Hanlon

As I’ve mentioned earlier, you can choose various upgrades after completing a level in Jack Invaders. You can choose to rebuild your wall, increase turret movement, firing rate, and decrease level time. Each upgrade can be chosen up to three times. Though you’ll probably restart levels quite a few times, I’m glad to say that any upgrades you acquire remain with you even if you start back at level 1.

One thing I’m actually impressed with is the fact that the degree of difficulty in Jack Invaders means you actually have to choose upgrades very carefully and wisely. Seeing as it’s so difficult to even get past the first level, you need to really think about which upgrades will help you the most when you’re starting out.

Also, you can easily keep track of your highest score and level via the Scores button. Lastly, there’s a very helpful section that details how to play Jack Invaders. The game is also free of ads and other annoyances, which is always a plus.

Value:

Jack Invaders is available to download from the App Store for $0.99. Between great graphics and a wonderfully fun retro design, this is one game that’s certainly worth checking out!

Jack Invaders is compatible with iPhone, iPod touch and iPad. Requires iOS 4.3 or later. This app is optimized for iPhone 5. A small expedite fee was paid to speed up the publication of this review, as well as a video production fee.

The iPhone App Review’s rating:

“The best iPhone apps and the best iPad apps are reviewed by TheiPhoneAppReview.com“

Intelli IM: Constant Contact for Your Google Peeps

May 2nd, 2013

Luke Patrick

Price: Free
Rating:
Intelli IM: Written & Video iPhone App Review

Intelli for iPhone 1 168x300 Intelli IM: Constant Contact for Your Google Peeps

Intelli IM for iPhone

If you’re like us, you require Google Talk to both function and produce as a creative professional. However, we also use it to talk to our old friends and family. With that in mind, we suppose it’s fair to say we see a lot of the GTalk. With that in mind, we’re chuffed to bits to be bringing you a review of Intelli IM today, from Rapid Cyber Solutions, Inc. An application for the iPhone specifically designed to bring you the best possible Google Talk experience. If you’re interested, feel free to slide on down below the break for our full review. Starting with:

Concept and Functionality

To put it simply, Intelli IM does exactly everything that you would expect a phenomenal Google Talk client to do. That is to say, it allows you to view your contacts, edit their details, start up new conversations, and view the ones you’ve currently got running. However, it’s by far the small things that tend to separate Intelli IM from the herd.

For instance, at the actual chat screen, you’ll be served up with a well-organized iMessage view of the your conversation, as well as a full spread of Google-certified emoticons. You can simply tap the ones you want to use, and then keep trucking. Furthermore, the way Intelli IM has been constructed is also quite useful: The app is always on, which means you’re never out of touch with those you’re talking to. In fact, the app even makes it a cinch to add custom away messages, or change your status. All in all, with easy access to your contacts and messages, as well as a whole host of other niceties, Intelli IM is a pretty rock-solid way to have a Google-based conversation.

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Twisted Ways is Your New Favorite Puzzle Game for IPhone

May 2nd, 2013

Sarah Hanlon

Price: $0.99
Rating:
Twisted Ways: Written iPhone Game Review

twisted ways ss1 300x168 Twisted Ways is Your New Favorite Puzzle Game for IPhone

Reviewed by Sarah Hanlon

iPhone puzzle games are never short in supply, and new ones are published to the App Store every single day. As someone who’s more of an adventure gamer, I’m proud to say there’s one particular puzzle game that I truly enjoy playing.

Twisted Ways, developed by Stanislav Fedorov, is an incredibly addicting puzzle game for iPhone. Featuring great graphics and brain teasing gameplay, this is one game you’ll be lost in for hours and hours.

Concept and Gameplay:

Twisted Ways definitely adds a spin to the iPhone puzzle game genre. The concept of the game is to help your kangaroo friend navigate the playing field. Essentially you have to help him reach the ladder that takes them to the next level. Of course this sounds like a fairly easy game, but that’s only because I haven’t mentioned the fact that the tiles on the floor rotate in different directions when your kangaroo friend steps on them.

These individual blocks can only be stepped on if you’re entering from a side with an arrow on it. The same goes for exiting blocks. If you cross a green block, it will rotate 90° to the right. Blue blocks rotate 90° to the left, and yellow blocks rotate 180°. Red blocks are the only ones that don’t rotate when stepped on. Read more »

Find Help, Give Advice, and Earn Money with Rewarder Mobile

May 1st, 2013

Sarah Hanlon

Price: Free
Rating:
Rewarder Mobile: Written iPhone App Review

rewarder ss1 168x300 Find Help, Give Advice, and Earn Money with Rewarder Mobile

Reviewed by Sarah Hanlon

The Internet is a great place to seek help and help others. Who doesn’t enjoy sharing knowledge to make someone else’s life better? Time is money, though, and not everybody is willing to share their expertise for free. If you’ve ever wondered if a website existed that would allow people to pay you for tasks, look no further.

Rewarder Mobile, developed by Rewarder, Inc., is the mobile version of the immensely popular website. Though somewhat similar to Fiverr, Rewarder Mobile is far more versatile and fun to use.

Concept and Functionality:

Rewarder Mobile can be likened to a worldwide treasure hunt. Essentially the service allows you to post tasks and offer monetary rewards to those who complete your tasks successfully. These tasks can range from helping you find a lost pet to tracking down an extremely rare collectible item. Though the site might sound a little like Fiverr, there isn’t a limit to the amount of money you can offer as a reward. Once you accumulative reward balance of over $10, you can withdraw your money or donate to charity.

Signing up with Rewarder in the app is extremely easy. You can choose to sign up via Facebook or email. Once you’re in, you can easily browse all available rewards and even create your own rewards right on your phone. Creating a reward from your phone is as easy as taking a related photo, properly describing your reward, deciding how much money you’d like to pay the winner, and sharing your created reward on Facebook and Twitter.

It’s natural to be skeptical of the service like this, especially when you see things like $200 rewards for helping someone find a job. I’m happy to report that Rewarder is a very legitimate site that does everything it can to make sure everyone’s a happy customer. This includes very strict security measures, precise validation requirements, and numerous other steps. Read more »