"If there is an app for that"

Be Master of the Universe with Lonely Sun

November 11, 2016 by macjeff

Reviewed by Marilyn Chau

Lonely Sun is an exciting and innovative game that challenges players to be the “guiding hand of gravity” and bring together an entire solar system.

Sold for under $3 from the iTunes Store, this game has a fascinatingly unique storyline.

Features:

Lonely Sun–Be Gravity’s Guiding Hand, by Rinikulous Games Corp, is a game whose storyline is somewhat summed up in its app name.

Specifically, players within this game are tasked with the job of bringing together a solar system around the “lonely sun” in order to complete the destiny of the cosmos.

This task is accomplished through multiple levels, each designed to help you bring into the system a unique planet until the entire mission is accomplished. Each of these planets is its own fascinating world as well.

However, the task of being “gravity’s guiding hand” in bringing together these planets is easier said than done, as you must also avoid the dangerous matter flying about in the universe as well.

Overall, while I really enjoyed the concept of Lonely Sun, I do think it would be more of a fulfilling game if there were more checkpoints throughout.

While it’s certainly true that “real life” doesn’t have checkpoints, it’s also true that “real life” isn’t an iOS game.

Appearance and Layout:

Lonely Sun iPhone Game

Just as the overall storyline concept for Lonely Sun is unique, so are the graphics for this game.

In fact, these uniquely beautiful graphics are among the most impressive features of the game; they provide the player with a design that is both simplistic and hauntingly beautiful all at once.

Although the goal of Lonely Sun might seem overwhelming to some (afterall, arranging a solar system is a bit of a large task), the graphic design of this game certainly helps to make this game a more soothing than tiring one.

The layout of this app is equally well done; even first time players should find navigating through the game to be a relatively simple task.

Value:

As mentioned above, Lonely Sun can be downloaded for $2.79. This is a higher price tag that that of the many free games on the iOS store today, and because of this, many players will likely be deterred from trying out the game in the first place.

However, for players who do decide to give it a chance, they probably won’t be disappointed. The graphics and storyline offered in Lonely Sun are both fresh and exciting.

Still, for players who prefer games with frequent and consistent “checkpoints” throughout, Lonely Sun might not be the best investment.

Lonely Sun–Be Gravity’s Guiding Hand requires iOS 9.3 or later and is compatible with iPhone, iPod Touch, and iPad.

TheiPhoneAppReview’s rating:

DataBot Personal Assistant Offers Jaw-Dropping AI Features

November 11, 2016 by macjeff

[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=orNzxBJMaPc]

Reviewed by Sarah Hanlon

If there’s one thing we can’t argue about, it’s the fact that our smart phones are definitely intelligent. Their capabilities extend far beyond basic uses such as calls and texting.

Recent improvements to smart assistants like Siri, sometimes it feels like your iPhone acts like a real person.

DataBot Personal Assistant is an awesome and truly fascinating app that allows you to create and train a custom virtual assistant.

It may not be from Apple or Google but make no mistake about it, this personal assistant has tremendous potential and already is a force to be reckoned with.

It has more features than I can count and comes with upgradable modules to enhance your bot to your liking.

Concept and Functionality:

While this certainly isn’t the first personal assistant-type app I’ve seen, it’s certainly the first that includes customization options. DataBot Personal Assistant, by Andrea Testa, walks new users through the basics of the app using an incredibly helpful tutorial that does a great job of showing you exactly what you can do.

DataBot Personal Assistant uses both voice and text to deliver information to you. You can perform tasks such as requesting a joke or information about a famous figure. DataBot Personal Assistant will read back whatever it can find and it will also display read contents in text format just in case you missed what the bot said.

As I mentioned above, you can spend experience points on module upgrades. For example, you can unlock the weather module and have DataBot Personal Assistant read your current weather conditions to you. Experience points are earned by using the app on a regular basis.

In terms of usability, DataBot Personal Assistant is pretty easy to figure out once you explore the app a bit. Menus are very easy to navigate and pretty much everything you need is right at your fingertips.

Features:

DataBot Personal Assistant iPhone App

Covering every single feature of DataBot Personal Assistant proved to be impossible for this review, but there certainly are a few things that really stand out to me.

For example, earning experience points is almost effortless and you don’t have to jump through hoops in order to get them. The only thing you have to do is interact with DataBot Personal Assistant and use the app.

As you unlock additional modules, you’ll use the app even more. According to the developer, DataBot Personal Assistant is actually capable of learning from you as you chat with it.

If you choose to create an account with the app you can even access and interact with your bot from another device or even your computer.

Value:

DataBot Personal Assistant is available to download from the App Store for free and is universally compatible with iPhone and iPad. The app is supported by ads that can be disabled by spending experience points or purchasing an XP boost in the game’s store.

Overall, DataBot Personal Assistant is an awesome app that obviously has had a lot of work put into it. It’s not quite ready to replace mainstream assistants like Siri, but it’s incredibly fun to use and it’s cool to watch the bot “grow” as you use it.

There’s also an Android version of the app.

DataBot Personal Assistant requires iOS 8.0 or later and is compatible with iPhone, iPad, and iPod touch.

TheiPhoneAppReview’s rating:

Think Fast in Color Dash!

November 11, 2016 by macjeff

Reviewed by Marilyn Chau

Color Dash! is an exciting fast-paced games that challenges you to think quickly and concentrate on the task at hand.

Free through the iTunes Store, this game makes you think on your toes.

Features:

Color Dash!, as indicated by its name, is app where your quick recognition of colors is essential for success.

However, you’re thrown for a twist in this clever game, by Hari Pingali. Even though your job is to correctly match the word color to the color block, the actual word itself is often spelling out a different color which really distracts your mind from its task.

For instance, while the font coloring that you need to match is blue, the letters of the word itself might read “red.”

As simple as this sounds it’s actually an impressively tricky game, particularly when paired with a need to work quickly.

Different challenges such as constantly moving locations of colors within the game keep things fresh even when you’re feeling like an “experienced” player.

Playing Color Dash! is a smooth operation; I found that the app didn’t lag at all as I worked towards trying to make high scores, although my brain definitely felt like it was lagging at times!

As a whole, this app offers an entertaining way to challenge your brain.

Appearance and Layout:

Color Dash! iPhone Game

However, while Color Dash! is a fun game conceptually, it’s a bit lacking in visual appeal.

This is not just because the colors are very glaringly bright (it’s understood these colors are an essential part of the app) but it’s more an issue of an overall non-impressive usage of layout and fonts.

Specifically, the typography within the app feels old and dated–and not in a classic, vintage way.

The layout of Color Dash! is not intuitive; navigating through Color Dash! should be a seemingly simple task, but the in-app navigational titles aren’t as clearly descriptive as ideal.

While this is definitely a fun game, it’s not one that will attract players through its graphics.

Value:

Color Dash! is an entertaining game. It’s simple to grasp the concept of, but it does make you think differently than your mind is naturally inclined.

Mastering it takes a focus and concentration.

The fact that it’s a free game definitely also adds to its appeal–anyone can download it to try it out risk-free. However, as mentioned previously, the visual appeal of Color Dash! is somewhat lacking; the graphics are much less exciting than those of many other quick-thinking apps on the market today.

We expect this game to improve over time with more appealing graphics and a much improved user-friendly navigational system.

Color Dash! requires iOS 6.0 or later and is compatible with iPhone, iPod Touch, and iPad.

TheiPhoneAppReview’s rating:

PersonalityMatch Reveals Compatibility With Others

November 11, 2016 by macjeff

[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WrIgCHsngB8]

Reviewed by Sarah Hanlon

Learning how to get along with others is one of the most important skills you can develop as an adult. However, it never hurts to have a little assistance when it comes to gaining insight on your relationship with a friend or coworker.

That’s where PersonalityMatch comes into play.

PersonalityMatch is a fantastic personality app that uses the Myers-Briggs personality system to help you determine your personality type and see how it correlates with others.

Concept and Functionality:

Even if you’ve taken the Myers-Briggs test in the past and you know your personality type, PersonalityMatch, by Online Commerce Group BV, is worth checking out. It’s fun to use and doesn’t exhaust you with an endless set of questions.

The built-in quiz took me a couple minutes to complete and my results matched what I’ve received before.

Unlike other personality apps that tend to nickel and dime users, PersonalityMatch provides a wealth of information right out of the gate. You can easily see a detailed breakdown of your personality type and what each characteristic means.

This is fantastic for anyone who has never taken the test before and would like to see a breakdown of each characteristic.

The real reason it was developed centers around the ability to compare your personality type with someone else to see how compatible you are.

This can be done with ease and the app rates your compatibility on scale of 0% to 100%. The higher the number, the more compatible you are.

Features:

PersonalityMatch iPhone App

As you can probably imagine, PersonalityMatch is loaded with awesome features to help you understand yourself better.

Along with in-depth details on your specific personality type, you can even connect with friends and see how you compare with them once they’ve taken the test for themselves.

PersonalityMatch even features a career path analysis, but unfortunately it’s locked unless you pay $2.99. This isn’t really a huge drawback, though, because not everyone will be concerned about finding the right career.

However, students and professionals who are looking to make a change will definitely find the information in PersonalityMatch useful.

Personally I wouldn’t take it as serious career advice, but you may stumble on something you wouldn’t have otherwise thought of and get some real value from its assessment.

Value:

PersonalityMatch is available to download from the App Store for free and is universally compatible with iPhone and iPad. Aside from the in-app purchases for extra features, you don’t have to worry about ads. As I mentioned above, the value of additional features totally depends on your situation.

Overall, PersonalityMatch is a fantastic personality tool to help you understand yourself better and see how compatible you are with others.

You’ll be able to gain insight into your relationships and analyze why they work the way they do.

PersonalityMatch requires iOS 8.0 or later and is compatible with iPhone, iPad, and iPod touch.

TheiPhoneAppReview’s rating:

Soar Through the Sky as Long as You Can in Swift Plane

November 11, 2016 by macjeff

Reviewed by Sarah Hanlon

Arcade games are both fun and addicting to play, especially when you’re looking for a way to keep busy. Unlike complex RPGs and other fantasy games, you can play arcade games for minutes or hours at a time.

Swift Plane is a creative and fun new endless runner that really puts your reflexes to the test.

It’s an endless arcade game that’s like Doodle Jump and others, but it has much more variety.

Concept and Gameplay:

Swift Plane, by Mustplay Games Private Limited, is a pretty simple game that’s easy to play once you get the basics figured out.

I like the fact that the tutorial shows you different maneuvers. You can control your airplane by swiping up, down, left, or right to avoid obstacles.

Swift Plane is that it’s a bit frustrating to play at first because obstacles can be difficult to judge. The game throws a few twists in by employing obstacles that move, requiring you to be on your toes.

Playing Swift Plane often means you’ll be able to unlock the various achievements that are built into the game. You’re rewarded with gems if you complete tasks, making it much easier to unlock new airplanes and maps.

When it comes to graphics and gameplay, Swift Plane is actually pretty nice to look at. I like the use of unique “low poly art” design.

Features:

Swift Plane iPhone Game

As you play Swift Plane you’ll earn gems that you can spend on unlocks such as new levels and new airplanes. You can also buy more gems via in-app purchase or you can watch videos.

If you’re aiming for the highest score you can get in Swift Plane, there’s an option to continue playing even if you crash. Games can be restarted spending gems or watching a video.

Value:

Swift Plane is available to download from the App Store for free and is compatible with iPhone and iPad.

Overall, anyone who is looking for a fun and addicting arcade game will certainly enjoy Swift Plane.

There are plenty of new things to unlock like maps and airplanes. It’s definitely worth the download and you won’t have to dish out cash in order to unlock the cool stuff.

Swift Plane requires iOS 6.0 or later and is compatible with iPhone, iPad, and iPod touch.

TheiPhoneAppReview’s rating: