"If there is an app for that"

BusyCal, the Calendar for Busy People, is Finally on iOS

June 28, 2016 by macjeff

BusyCal ($4.99) by BusyCal LLC is a calendar app that is designed for those with a busy schedule to tend to on a daily basis. If you live a hectic life and want a calendar app that can keep up with you, then it could be worth your time to check out BusyCal, now on the iPhone and iPad.

Ever since I started using a smartphone and laptop, I’ve had to keep a digital calendar with me at all times in order to remember where I need to go and what I have planned every day, because otherwise, I’d pretty much forget everything. I was always terrible with paper calendars in the past, and still am, so digital calendars are a complete lifesaver for me. A long time ago, before Fantastical was ever around, I was a faithful user of BusyCal on my Mac. However, I must admit that I’ve been using Fantastical since it was first introduced on the Mac and iOS platforms a few years ago, and stopped using BusyCal altogether. But since I saw BusyCal pop up on the App Store recently, I was intrigued to give it a try for myself. While it won’t be replacing Fantastical 2 on my iPhone as a daily driver calendar app, it’s a solid choice for those who aren’t satisfied with other solutions.

In terms of visuals, BusyCal looks fairly minimal and barebones when compared to the competition, such as Fantastical and Calendars 5 from Readdle. The app features a lot of white and gray, with events in colored blocks that go along with what you have already set in your calendar account. Even if you have a busy schedule, the app still has a lot of whitespace that could have been better utilized, since it seems like wasted space at times right now. In fact, if someone didn’t ever use the native iOS calendar, they may mistake this for Apple’s own app, because it’s pretty utilitarian. However, despite the less-than-appealing aesthetics, BusyCal features tabs at the bottom that let you easily switch to different calendar views with just a tap, and it’s fast to do so, too. BusyCal won’t be winning in the looks department compared to Fantastical, but it does well in the features department.

Unlike many of the existing calendar apps that were on the market, BusyCal does not fetch data from the native iOS calendar. This means that even if you have your calendar info on the phone, BusyCal won’t read it. You’ll have to add your calendar account into BusyCal itself for it to sync with whatever service you use. At the moment, BusyCal works with iCloud, Google, Office 365, Exchange, Fruux, Yahoo!, CalDAV (if you use BusyCal on Mac, for example), and WebDAV. Though I do not use an Exchange calendar, I know that it’s a popular service for businesses, and it’s hard to find proper support for it. Fortunately, BusyCal has you Exchange users covered.

Once you’re logged in to all of your necessary accounts (the app supports an unlimited number of accounts and calendars), you can toggle what calendars you want to see in the app from the Settings menu, which is great for those who use separate calendars for different events. Each one is color coded based on your account settings, so it should be easy to tell each event block apart.

With BusyCal, users get easy access to four different calendar views from the bottom tab bar: List, Day, Week, and Month. There is also a separate To Do view if you keep tasks and reminders in your calendar service.

The List view is a condensed agenda of all of your upcoming events organized by day — if you want the most information in one place, then the List view is your main go-to view. It even includes the high and low temperature for the day, so you can prepare for your appointments with one glance. The Day view displays a timeline for the day and all of your events are shown as blocks on the timeline, with a separate section up top for All-Day things. A sharp blue bar at the top tells you what day you’re looking at, as well as the high and low temperatures.

Week view is similar to the Day glance, except you get to view multiple days at a time and can scroll horizontally to check days in advance. Unfortunately, the Week view won’t show weather data. The Month option lets you see the entire month in one fell swoop, and while it may not include weather data, you can see the moon phases on the month, which is something. I found the Month view to be a bit cramped in portrait mode, even on my iPhone 6s Plus, so I recommend using landscape mode for this view, or any of the other ones if needed. Unfortunately, there is no way to switch between views in landscape mode or access settings, which is a bit annoying.

As you’re in portrait mode and want to return to today, just tap on the button in the bottom left corner. BusyCal also has a search functionality, so you can look up any event, past or future, through keywords. While it seems to search for the keywords through any field of text for an event, you can’t filter it out like with Fantastical, which may be annoying.

When you create new events or reminders in BusyCal, there are two ways to do so. You can go with the traditional, old-school route with inputting the event details into separate fields, or you can toggle Natural Language Input in the app settings. To add a new event or to-do item (even timed ones), just tap on the plus button in the upper right corner.

What I noticed about the natural language input method is that the typing lags behind somewhat, as the letters were struggling to catch up as I was typing in my event. Plus, there is no autocorrect and automatic keyboard switching when trying to go from the numerals back to the alphabetic keyboard, which got super tedious after a few moments — my sentence was riddled with errors. Hopefully the natural language input gets optimized in the future, but right now it’s pretty frustrating to use compared to the competition.

Overall, I was a bit surprised that BusyCal finally landed on iOS, but it won’t be replacing Fantastical 2 for me anytime soon as my daily driver. There seems to be quite a bit of wasted whitespace throughout the app, and the natural language input falls short here. I also wish that there was an option to just fetch my iOS calendar data instead of having me input my Google Calendar credentials again. However, the app does have some good benefits, such as fast ways to switch to different views, full and reliable support for Exchange accounts, and giving you basic weather info so you can prepare for the day ahead. I think BusyCal is a good option to consider if you haven’t been satisfied with other options, like Fantastical 2 or Readdle’s Calendars 5.

You can find BusyCal on the App Store as a universal download for $4.99. BusyCal 3 for Mac is available online for $49.99.

Source link: http://appadvice.com/reviews

Free Apps to Download TODAY ONLY 06/28/2016

June 28, 2016 by macjeff

Rocket Valet! Galaxy Landing Service , Amount - Unit and Currency Converter , Lumiè and more

iPhone:

You’re able to create a list of your favorite locations around the world and view their times as a color-coded list. Tap on a location to view more detailed information like its time zone, time interval and distance from you, coordinates, and even weather. You’re also able to change the time in one location and see the changes in all of your other locations. The app includes support for up to 64 custom location-based alarms, imperial and metric support, two sorting options, and 12- and 24-hour formats.

Universal:

Rocket Valet is the perfect little time waster that’s easy to get the hang of but difficult to master. Your rocket ship controls are found at the bottom of the screen. You must tap the thrusters to navigate your ship through delicate mazes and safely to the landing pad. You’ll be rewarded with bonus points for a direct hit and small bounces. After each successful landing you can choose to record your high score or risk it all to climb even higher up the leaderboards.

Amount takes a different approach to unit conversion. You start off by just inputting the number you want to convert. You're then asked to select a category. That's it! The next screen will display all of the results for every unit within the category. Tap on a unit to see how it compares with the rest. The app also includes the ability to create custom lists, copy results, and view history.

Lumie is the only app truly dedicated to the popular Bokeh blur effect. You're able to import any photo from your library or take a new one within the app. Then swipe to scroll through the huge list of 121 lighting effects. Tap on the one you want to apply it to your photo or live camera feed. Each effect can be repositioned and rotated, and you can adjust the intensity level of the lights. Once everything looks just right, share your new creation via Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, Tumblr, Flickr, or email.

GREG proves that even simple math isn’t easy. A grid of numbered tokens is laid out before you. Tap on tokens to select and add them up in order to match the number at the top. Each turn of the timer located around the number at the top will cause the unused tokens to become hotter and change color. If a single token burns up before you reach the next level, it’s game over. Bonus points can be scored by making lines, squares, and crosses from your selected tokens, and you can utilize power-ups to clear levels faster.

Source link: http://appadvice.com/apps-gone-free

Unravel Dark Secrets As You Go Into Mirror, a Cyberpunk Action Platformer

June 27, 2016 by macjeff

Into Mirror ($0.99) by ZHIPENG WANG and Lemon Jam Studio is a new cyberpunk-style action platformer that truly pulls you in to an immersive, dystopian world. If you enjoyed other games like Shadow Bug, Shadow Blade: Reload, and Goblin Sword, but wished there was a splash of cyberpunk flair, then Into Mirror is the game for you.

Since I’m an ‘80s kid, I grew up with platformers for most of my childhood. I had the classics like Super Mario Bros., Sonic the Hedgehog, and even other games like the X-Men one I remember on Sega Genesis. The point is I have rather fond memories of platformer games in general, so I am always intrigued whenever a new one hits the market. And in recent years, I’ve taken an interest in sci-fi and cyberpunk themes, so when the news of Into Mirror hit my inbox, I was definitely interested.

Into Mirror has a unique art style that reminds me of graphic novels and comic books. Considering the cyberpunk and futuristic setting, I think it’s rather fitting. The world of Mirror is rather dark and gloomy, which means that the bright and flashy colors of the characters, street signs, and attacks stand out just that much more. Despite the shady tone of the world, the developers made sure to include a ton of detail for everything, from the environment to character outfits to weapons and bosses. Animations are pretty smooth and fluid, though the movements of enemies felt a bit jerky at times due to weird, glitchy positioning. There can also be serious lag when notifications come in, so I hope that the developer can optimize it a bit in future updates. The game also has an atmospheric soundtrack that pulls you in, and the sound effects are a nice finishing touch.

So what exactly is Into Mirror? The game is definitely much more than “looking cool,” as they say. The plot of the game takes place in 2076 and involves a virtual world with the Mirror Device that has concluded with beta stages and has moved on to the commercial phase, meaning mass market and Mirror Group, the company behind it, becoming hugely successful and now the world’s largest company. While everyone thinks that the virtual reality world of the Mirror Device is great, they fail to see the dangers and secrets behind it all — who are you in Mirror World? Players will control a character named Allen in Mirror World, who is working with another character to uncover the dark secrets of the virtual reality world. But in typical game fashion, every being in the game is trying to stop you, so you won’t be going down without a fight.

Like other platformer games, Into Mirror is level-based, and there are 20 stages for you to tackle your way through. While that does not sound like a lot, the game is rather difficult, so you will spend a lot of time on later stages as you progress. The goal in each level is to make it from the starting point to the endpoint, which is marked with a floating screen-like icon. Reaching the endpoint is easier said than done, as you’ll have to eliminate a ton of different types of foes along the way, while avoiding dangerous hazards like spikes and acid, and also making sure to find keycards to get past locked doors. There is a huge variety of enemies that you’ll encounter, including challenging boss battles, so you have to take them out using your wits and strength.

The controls in Into Mirror are simple enough, though I feel that they could be better optimized for touch screens. In the bottom left corner will be two directional buttons for moving left and right. You can fall through certain sections of floor by swiping down on the screen. In the bottom right corner, there will be buttons for jumping (double tap for double jump), melee, and ranged attack. Due to limited ammo, you’ll probably be doing more hacking-and-slashing than shooting, but keep an eye out for breakable crates, as they can contain more ammo refills and health packs.

While the controls are decent enough, I feel that they could have been done much better. I had issues with movement at times due to the spacing between the two directional buttons, and feel that a virtual joystick would have been better anyways since you need to have pretty quick reflexes to survive in this game. And the action buttons could have had a better layout, as I constantly found myself accidentally shooting instead of jumping, or something along those lines. Hopefully the developers can look into fixing the controls a bit, as it is tarnishing the overall experience when you die because you’re stuck or move in the wrong direction or waste limited bullets.

Even though the game only has 20 stages, there is plenty of replay value. This is because you gain experience points from killing enemies, which means you level up and become stronger. For each level you gain, you’ll be able to choose to upgrade your attack, health, or critical attack chance. You’ll also find tons of green credits from breaking crates and slaying enemies, and these credits can be used for several things. You can upgrade Allen’s equipped gear with better swords, guns, helms, armor, gloves, and pills for health or attack. Another option is to use credits to refill your health or ammo in a pinch. You can also find some hidden collectible chips through various boxes located in the game.

If you’re low on credits, the game does give you the opportunity for free 100 free credits by watching a video, or you can buy more through in-app purchases. I’m a bit disappointed in this decision, though, since the game is a paid game and not free, so I don’t like that it includes IAPs and video ads at all. But this appears to be the trend in mobile games, unfortunately.

So far, I’ve spent a good few hours with Into Mirror, even though I’m only on level six (the game is damn hard). I am in love with the gorgeous cyberpunk visual art style, the soundtrack is impressive, and the action platformer gameplay itself is incredibly challenging. I enjoy the level up and upgrade system, though I do wish that it was possible to find equipment in the breakable crates as well, since the only way to get better gear is to spend credits in the menu’s shop. And if the developers can improve the control scheme so that it results in less deaths and glitchy positioning, then the experience would be much better.

I highly recommend giving Into Mirror a try though, especially if you’re into sci-fi, cyberpunk, or action platformer games. Into Mirror can be found on the App Store as a universal download for your iPhone and iPad for just $0.99 (50 percent off for a limited time). There are in-app purchases for more credits.

Source link: http://appadvice.com/reviews

Free Apps to Download TODAY ONLY 06/27/2016

June 27, 2016 by macjeff

Spite & Malice , Wheel of Fortune PUZZLE POP - [OFFICIAL] New spin on bubble shooters from America’s favorite game show , Hidden Wonders of the Depths HD (Full) and more

iPhone:

Swipe to match three or more underwater items to complete different objectives before time expires. Mahjong-style mini-games are also thrown into the mix to break up the gameplay. Each completed stage will award you with a new piece of an item for your mermaids home. The game includes 204 stages, 25 levels, bonus content to unlock, and achievements via Game Center.

Universal:

Unleash your inner demon with the fiendishly fun Spite & Malice. Your goal is to be the first person to play all of the cards from your own pile by placing them on the middle piles in numerical order. Don’t worry about the suits of the cards because in Spite & Malice they don’t mean a thing. Just remember that the best way to beat your opponent is to block them from ever playing their cards. The game includes a single player mode, and online real-time and turn-based multiplayer.

It’s time to get popping with Vanna White and her puppy. Hold your finger to the screen and slide it to see where your shot will go. Release at just the right moment to fire. You must create matches of three or more to pop the bubbles and free the letters trapped within. Try to dig deep within the bubble collection and break off large swaths to earn bonus points. Spin the wheel between levels to earn power-ups and bonuses.

Flewn is simply breathtaking. It follows an old whale who is walking on stilts through a desert in search of a lost ocean. The story is told through beautifully illustrated and animated scenes complemented by rhyming couplets. You’re also able to experience the story from the perspective of a flying frog who needs to eat bugs to keep her energy level up.

Tired of wasting data, speed, and battery life on unwanted content? Then install and enable Handblock today. The process is really simple. Just launch the Settings app, tap on Safari, tap on Content Blockers, and then enable Handblock. There’s nothing left for you to do but enjoy the Web as it was intended. It just works. Handblock also allows you to whitelist and blacklist sites for a more tailored experience.

Swipe to match three or more underwater items to complete different objectives before time expires. Mahjong-style mini-games are also thrown into the mix to break up the gameplay. Each completed stage will award you with a new piece of an item for your mermaids home. The game includes 204 stages, 25 levels, bonus content to unlock, and achievements via Game Center.

Source link: http://appadvice.com/apps-gone-free

Best app deals of the day! 6 paid iPhone apps for free for a limited time

June 27, 2016 by macjeff

Source link: http://www.digitaltrends.com/mobile/daily-app-deals-ios-06-27-2016/