Asian Market Shopper Review

Asian Market Shopper Review

By Jennifer Allen on June 3rd, 2011
Our Rating: :: INTERESTING
iPhone App - Designed for the iPhone, compatible with the iPad

Asian Market Shopper serves as a great introduction to Asian cuisine

 

Developer: Chronicle Books
Price: $3.99
Version Reviewed: 1.0
Device Reviewed On: iPhone 4

iPhone Integration Rating: 3.75 out of 5 stars
User Interface Rating: 3.75 out of 5 stars
Re-use Value Rating: 3.5 out of 5 stars

Overall Rating: 3.67 out of 5 stars

Asian Market Shopper offers an introduction to Asian cooking for newbies to the cuisine. While it might lack a bit of depth for those who know what they’re doing, it makes for an ideal welcome to a particularly exciting way of cooking.

The layout is mostly focused on making it easy for users to find exactly what they need. Upon loading, the app divides everything up into regions or enables users to consult their favorites quickly or look things up alphabetically. Upon picking a region, users are then given an image of the ingredient along with a brief description of what the ingredient actually is and how it is typically used. Those wanting to know how to pronounce some of the more difficult to say ingredients can also hear a brief audio clip say it correctly. Following that is a rough idea of where it can be purchased as well as how to pick out the best of the bunch. Recipes linked to the ingredient then follow.

There aren’t a huge amount of recipes on offer admittedly but they do provide a sound basis for starting out. Each recipe comes with an attractive image of the end result as well as some easy to understand instructions. In some cases, videos are also included such as one that details how to use a pestle and mortar. The ability to add ingredients en mass to a shopping list is also there and this list then separates ingredients according to type and where they would most likely be in a grocery store.

Asian Market Shopper could do with a few more recipes as, for the price, there aren’t a huge deal, clocking in at a mere 25. However it does serve as a great introduction to the cuisine and makes for an attractive interactive book. For those reasons alone, it could make for a great addition to someone’s iOS virtual bookshelf.

Asian Market Shopper

iPhone App - Designed for the iPhone, compatible with the iPad
Buy Now: $3.99

Our Rating: :: INTERESTING
Read Our Full Review >>

Released: 2011-05-22 :: Category: Lifestyle

Apps mentioned in this post: Asian Market Shopper


About: Asian Market Shopper Review is a post from 148Apps

Jennifer Allen 04 Jun, 2011

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Source: http://www.148apps.com/reviews/asian-market-shopper-review/
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Diigo Brings Chrome Style Web Browsing to the iPad

I tend to use native Mac apps when they exist because they tend to be the best. But as far as browsers go, I’ve preferred Chrome over Safari for a while. Diigo Inc. has just released a free browser on the iPad that claims to mimic Chrome’s speed and interface.

Given the screenshots of iChromy, it possesses many of the interface features that Chrome does. The tabs on top (probably the most noticeable feature of Chrome), single bar for addresses and searches, and the star next to the bar for bookmarking stand out loudly as a Chrome experience on the iPad. Other features that aren’t necessarily Chrome-like but are features of the browser nonetheless include an automatically hiding address bar, an offline reading list, sharing to various services and social networking sites, and the ability to open a link in a new tab.

For a free browser, an offline reading list feature may excite people who want an Instapaper-like experience without dishing out the $4.99 for the app on their iPad. But for those who prefer Instapaper (like me), it’s one of the sharing options available in the app. Other sharing features include Facebook, Twitter, Tumblr, and more.

iChromy was released only a few days ago, but their app description already lists future features and bug fixes coming out in the next version. This suggests that the developers at Diigo are making iChromy a priority and we can expect additional features and support of iChromy in the future. Features coming with the next release are a .com button for the on-screen keyboard and auto-scrolling top the top of the page when tapping the status bar at the top. The description also lists a bug fix and the promise of “other features.” Grab iChromy while it’s free, who knows if it’ll stay that way.

iChromy - Chrome Style Web Browser

iPad Only App - Designed for the iPad
Buy Now: FREE
Released: 2011-05-26 :: Category: Utilities

Apps mentioned in this post: iChromy - Chrome Style Web Browser


About: Diigo Brings Chrome Style Web Browsing to the iPad is a post from 148Apps

Kevin Stout 03 Jun, 2011

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Source: http://www.148apps.com/news/diigo-brings-chrome-style-web-browsing-ipad/
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Idea Store Review

Idea Store Review

By Jennifer Allen on June 3rd, 2011
Our Rating: :: LIMITING
Universal App - Designed for iPhone and iPad

Store ideas with Idea Store – it does exactly what it says in the title

 

Developer: Spore Tools
Price: $2.99
Version Reviewed: 1.0
Device Reviewed On: iPhone 4

iPhone Integration Rating: 3 out of 5 stars
User Interface Rating: 3.75 out of 5 stars
Re-use Value Rating: 2.5 out of 5 stars

Overall Rating: 3.08 out of 5 stars

My brain is frequently a flurry of ideas that, once I get somewhere that I can write them down, I’ve completely forgotten about. Only time will tell just how many of these ideas are good ones but it’d be nice to remember them for any length of time. Idea Store appreciates this problem is a common one and offers up an attractive solution.

Essentially, Idea Store is a notes making app that doubles up as a To Do list tool quite admirably. To an extent it needs to considering it weighs in at $2.99 making it one of the more expensive apps of its kind.

The Idea Store is divided up into three sections, each overlapping. There’s the Entries side of things allowing users to quickly and simply input their text based ideas. The Groups section does exactly what the title suggests enabling users to group their ideas according to the specific genre. For example, I set it up to cover recipe ideas and writing ideas thus encapsulating the main two things that seem to float around my head at any one time. The third section covers dates ensuring that users can check at the touch of a button just what ideas they came up with and on what date.

It’s all pretty simple but it means there aren’t any gimmicks to get in the way when the user wants to quickly get on with the matter at hand. This simplicity is a double edged sword though as it does lack some pivotal features. While users benefit from Dropbox integration, there’s no other form of sharing. There’s not even a method of emailing the ideas elsewhere, let alone Twitter or Facebook support. The ability to take images for inspiration would have been useful too rather than being restricted solely to text.

Idea Store is a nice idea, providing an easy way to collect up ideas, but it is a bit limited. Priced at $0.99, it’d be easier to recommend but at $2.99, it’s a tough sell.

Idea Store

Universal App - Designed for iPhone and iPad
Buy Now: $2.99

Our Rating: :: LIMITING
Read Our Full Review >>

Released: 2011-05-12 :: Category: Productivity

Apps mentioned in this post: Idea Store


About: Idea Store Review is a post from 148Apps

Jennifer Allen 03 Jun, 2011

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Source: http://www.148apps.com/reviews/idea-store-review/
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Shop Using SnapTag To Ping The Crowd

Have you ever been shopping in a store and wondered if the price that was listed on a product was actually a discount?  Being both a bargain hunter and penny-pincher, this is an issue that plagues me on a nearly daily basis.  But what if you could use the power of the mob to determine if you were looking at a steal or highway robbery?  SnapTag aims to do just that by leveraging the power of both Facebook and Twitter in your favor, by polling your followers about an impending purchase.

This form of crowdsourcing is certainly nothing new to social medial, but SnapTag certainly streamlines the process dramatically.  Easily the best part is that the application is that not only is it tremendously helpful, but completely free as well. We will leave you with a short trailer that details how you can use the tool to make your shopping life much easier.  It is definitely worth a look.



SnapTag

iPhone App - Designed for the iPhone, compatible with the iPad
Buy Now: FREE
Released: 2011-05-10 :: Category: Social Networking

Apps mentioned in this post: SnapTag


About: Shop Using SnapTag To Ping The Crowd is a post from 148Apps

Blake Grundman 03 Jun, 2011

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Source: http://www.148apps.com/news/shop-snaptag-ping-crowd/
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foxl V2 Bluetooth Wireless Speaker / Speakerphone

The foxl V2 Bluetooth from soundmatters is a little device that you may have never heard of. It’s a Bluetooth speaker device with both fantastic high fidelity wireless music playback and great speakerphone options.

I first saw it at Macworld Expo earlier this year and was rather impressed. It had good sound quality even in the crowded and loud conference hall. We got a chance to take one for a drive, and it’s even better than expected.

Why you’d want it: audio speakers. There are two main functions for the foxl. The first is as a wired or wireless speaker system. It puts out an amazing amount of sound for a tiny little device. It’s only about the size of a three pack of golf balls. Using Bluetooth for convenience is a great, wireless way to listen to music. Though note that it does compress the music some and you will lose a bit of dynamic range in the music. The wireless freedom can’t really be beat and the slight loss in fidelity is worth it for the convenience.

Once you’ve paired the foxl, to use it as a set of wireless speakers it’s as simple as turning it on and selecting it in the audio output selector (AirPlay box) in any music app that supports it. You also have the option of doing a direct connection for wired audio playback.

Why you’d want it – wireless speakerphone. The other main feature of the foxl is as a Bluetooth speakerphone. This is where it really shines. The sound of the speaker and quality of the microphone are top notch. In the few times I’ve used it the sound is great and callers report that I sound loud and clear.

How it performs: Overall, the foxl Bluetooth performs quite well. Comparing it to the Jambox from Jawbone, it’s a bit smaller and louder, particularly in the bass end of the audio spectrum. The price is also very similar – in the sub-$200 range. This won’t replace a dock speaker system, but for travel and convenience, the foxl Bluetooth is fantastic.

foxl V2 Bluetooth Features

* Highest-fidelity resolution with pocket-sized portability
* Connect to any music source via standard audio cable
* Up to 8 hours battery life, output wattage increases when wall-powered
* Lithium-ion BassBattery™ re-chargable via USB or wall charger
* Output for optional powered subwoofer 25-30′ Bluetooth range with improved sound quality
* Automatically connects for instant wireless streaming
* Built-in “Business-quality” wireless hands-free microphones for speakerphone/conferencing
* Including speaker one-touch reject/answer/end calls functions

You can pick up the foxl v2 on Amazon and other usual places for around $199 for the Bluetooth model or $169 for the model without Bluetooth.

About: foxl V2 Bluetooth Wireless Speaker / Speakerphone is a post from 148Apps

Jeff Scott 03 Jun, 2011

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Source: http://www.148apps.com/news/foxl-v2-bluetooth-wireless-speaker-speakerphone/
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