July 4th – Independence Day
Chrisa | Jul 1, 2009 Entertainment, Reference
User rating: 
(2 votes, average: 5.00 out of 5)
(2 votes, average: 5.00 out of 5)
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This coming Sunday, we will celebrate the third anniversary of my 39th birthday – please, no gifts, unless they come in small blue boxes tied with white ribbon. But more importantly to most, on Saturday we will celebrate the 233rd anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence.
In honor of this occasion, the gang at Core Coders Ltd. have created July 4th – Independence Day, a patriotic little application that entertains and informs us on this most American of holidays.
Tags: $0.99, Entertainment, Reference
Q&F: MyGovernment
Chris J. | Jun 24, 2009 Quick & Free, Reference
User rating: 
(3 votes, average: 3.67 out of 5)
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Here are two quick questions to help you decide if you should download this app: Are you an American citizen? Do you vote? If you answered yes to these two questions then you have every reason to download this app immediately. MyGovernment is all about keeping you informed on what is happening in the government and giving you the tools to make your voice heard.
As far as I can tell there is no partisan bias in this app to speak of, unless you find any in the news articles that the app may link to. This app simply gives you the straight story on what’s going on in Congress. It also give you the tools to contact your local representative or state senator so you can make your voice heard. That’s what Democracy is all about right?
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Pinouts Update & Promo Codes!
Swain Valasek | May 18, 2009 Reference
User rating: (2 votes, average: 4.50 out of 5)
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Note, see my original review if you aren’t already familiar with Pinouts.
Attention wireheads, Pinouts 1.1 is out and now includes more than *20* pinouts for network, phone, computer, audio and video connectors along with an expanded hints/tips section including soldering…nice! The price has gone up as expected but only by a dollar and the content has basically quadrupled so consider adding this excellent tool to your budding reference library. Here’s what’s been added:
- Audio – RCA Phono, 1/4″ & 1/8″ mono/stereo, XLR, XLR to 1/4″
- Video – RCA Video, DVI, HDMI, S-Video
- Computer – 9 pin serial, 25 pin serial, VGA, EGA, Firewire 400/800, USB A/B/Mini, DVI audio/video
There’s more to come too in the next update and to sweeten the deal for a lucky few plus help spread the good word overall, the developer has sent along 3 promo codes for you to enjoy. As always it’s first come, first served so head on over to the comments section.
Tags: $1.99, connectors, Swain Valasek, wiring
Pinouts
Swain Valasek | Apr 3, 2009 Reference
User rating: (2 votes, average: 2.50 out of 5)
(2 votes, average: 2.50 out of 5) Loading ... 
Every now and then, if you sift through all the bodily function apps and 99 cent games closely, you’ll find a really nice app to build up your budding iPhone virtual reference library. Pinouts from CP3 Inc is one such app. It’s incredibly straightforward…it provides the most common network and telephone connector pinouts for crimping your own cables. The content itself has actually been freely available on the AlaTec website since 1997 but has been aggregated and mobilized on the iPhone for a small price (call it a convenience fee).
Tags: $0.99, cables, Swain Valasek, wiring
WordDigest English Dictionary, Thesaurus & Spell Checker
Swain Valasek | Mar 31, 2009 Reference
User rating: (5 votes, average: 3.80 out of 5)
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Pulling a page from the book of extra-long titles, here now is WordDigest English Dictionary, Thesaurus & Spell Checker from Global Delight (blessedly shortened to just WordDigest hereafter). Since the title is so self-descriptive of the app’s function, I’ll list the unique features straightaway, paraphrased from their website:
- Dictionary containing more than 147,000 words
- IPA pronunciations for 87,000 words (IPA stands for International Phonetic Alphabet…ya I didn’t know what it stood for either)
- Built-in hyperlinked thesaurus for more than 28,000 words
- Built-in hyperlinked intelligent spell checker
- Bookmark favorite words for easy recall
- History of previously searched words
- Built in web search for Wikipedia, Wiktionary and Answers.com
- Option to show the etymology (word origins) for a word. This feature requires an active Internet connection.
- Option to alter the text size
Tags: $1.99, dictionary, spell checker, Swain Valasek, thesaurus
Fashion Sense
Chrisa | Mar 30, 2009 Lifestyle, Reference
User rating: (1 votes, average: 5.00 out of 5)
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I love Tim Gunn. I mean it. I have an unnatural facination with him. I don’t stalk him, or anything, but I do have a picture of him as my wallpaper (in my defense, it’s a picture I took at the Oscars), and I am addicted to Project Runway and Tim Gunn’s Guide to Style. So when I got word about Eighteen Twenty Consulting’s Fashion Sense, I thought it might be like having a little Tim Gunn at my fingertips and in my pocket. Yeah…..it’s not.
Q&F: Mantis Bible Study
Chris J. | Feb 7, 2009 Reference
User rating: (16 votes, average: 3.06 out of 5)
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In looking at the Mantis Bible Study app, it is easy to see that it was designed with the more serious Bible scholar in mind. It includes a whole list of features to help those who are focused on a more in-depth study of the Bible. Unfortunately, for those who prefer not to use the KJV of the Bible and are not willing to spend the money for a different version, all of the features will be pointless.
The reason for that is that the KJV is the only version available for free in English. Versions such as ASV and BBE are available for free with some of the other Bible apps, but will cost $4.99 to download for Mantis. For some, like myself, seeing a five-dollar charge for what is free elsewhere will make Mantis’ other benefits seem less attractive. For others, the benefits of Mantis will be worth the cost of additional Bibles, or perhaps some are content with the provided KJV.
Bookmarking verses or taking notes on verses is quick and simple with Mantis. Simply tap the number of the verse which pops up a menu for notes, bookmarks, or verse comparison (between Bible versions). You can type in notes which will then be visible next to the verse.
Navigating is simple and quick. By tapping the button with the title of the book, you can jump to an book, chapter and verse of the bible. You can also quickly navigate chapters and verses through the gray triangles on the upper left and right corners. The search function also makes it easy to find exactly the verse you need.
Unique (to my knowledge) among the Bible apps is Mantis’ ability to highlight words, phrases, sentences, or more. Once highlighting is turned on in “Settings”, you can choose from four different highlight colors.
Also available are commentaries and Bible dictionaries, all for purchase of course. Again, some of these items can be found elsewhere for free, but will cost around $5 for Mantis.
In summary, Mantis is a powerful bit of software with one major flaw; that the designers feel they must recoup their costs by charging for every additional book. This is a problem in two ways: First is the perception of greed which will sour potential customers. Second is that most people resist the feeling of being nickel-and-dimed to death. A few more free Bibles, a couple of commentaries, and a dictionary will create a solid starter package to get people using the app. Once a user is familiar with the app, he/she is more likely to sink some money into an add-on book.
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- It's a Praying Mantis... with a sword!
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- Highlighting is a feature of Mantis unique among free Bible programs.
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- Jumping to chapters and verses are easy, just put you finger in the gray triangle and drag down.
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- Tap a verse number to open a menu like this.
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- While helpful, the directions are a little bossy. I prefer to try it later.
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- Lots of methods are available when searching.
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- Additional Bibles can cost up to around 20 bucks on the Mantis website.
Q & F: Bible (YouVersion)
Chris J. | Jan 29, 2009 Reference
User rating: (4 votes, average: 2.75 out of 5)
(4 votes, average: 2.75 out of 5) Loading ...
Like may of the other Bible apps, LifeChurch.tv’s Bible app has both strengths and weaknesses. The biggest strength of YouVersion is the numerous Bible translations available for free. Copyrighted translations (such as NIV) require web access to be used and cannot be downloaded to you iPhone. Older translations (such as KJV) can be downloaded onto your iPhone so that it can be accessed even if you don’t have internet available.
In addition to the Bible itself, YouVersion has some nice additional functions. If you are trying to read through the Bible in a year, there is a daily reading schedule included. Bookmarking favorite verses is quick and simple, all you have to do is tap the verse. You can also email verses to friends if you want.
One feature that is unique to YouVersion is the Contribs. Other users from around the world can contribute notes or even YouTube videos that are connected to particular verses. By tapping on the verse you can connect to those notes and videos and see what others think about a particular verse. Unfortunately some of the downloaded Bibles do not seem compatible with this feature.
YouVersion does have a few shortcomings, however. While most programs allow you to change the aspect to landscape view, YouVersion locks you into the portrait view. It is also unfortunate that while you can see other people’s notes on a verse, there is no way to type in notes yourself.
In speaking to the average Bible reader, if you are only going to download one Bible app, I recommend this one. While other Bible programs have some positive features, this one is most likely to have what you need while being simple enough for anyone to use.
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- A startup screen is like a first date, you want to make a good impression.
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- I find it simplest to start at the beginning.
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- Jumping to a chapter is simple, but does take time.
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- Bookmarking is simple: Tap the verse then the option pops up.
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- Twenty-eight versions to dowload, many in other languages.
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- Forty more translations available when you have internet.
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- Seen "Annual Bible 1.0" app for $0.99? Here's the same thing for free.
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- Contribs are numerous, who knows what you'll find.
Annual Bible 1.0
Chris J. | Jan 19, 2009 Reference
User rating: (4 votes, average: 1.50 out of 5)
(4 votes, average: 1.50 out of 5) Loading ...
The Annual Bible is a simple program to organize Bible reading into daily readings. By following the readings described on each day, you can read through all of the Old Testament once and all of the New Testament and Psalms twice in one year.
The app itself is simple to use, it keeps track of the date for you. It also looks nice, with a picture of a sunset for the background. It has the familiar dials in case you want to change the date. If you want to pretend that it’s January 19th, 2037 and you’re reading the Bible in your rocket car feel free to change the date, but the reading will stay the same.
On the downside, the picture interferes somewhat in reading the lowest line. Also, the app does not allow any customization of your reading plan (i.e. if you wanted to take two years instead of one). There is also no way to check off the readings that have been completed. The app does not contain a version of the Bible itself, so you would have to carry a Bible or download a Bible app to go with it.
Overall, the program does not seem to be worth the price, since a Bible reading program can be found at any number of locations for free. If you absolutely must have a Bible reading program on your iPhone, then this isn’t a bad way to go.
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- Go ahead, change the year. The reading is the same.
Q&F: Rhyme
Splash Jackson | Dec 14, 2008 Quick & Free, Reference
User rating: (4 votes, average: 4.00 out of 5)
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ENTER SPLASH JACKSON ONTO THE HIP HOP SCENE:
My name is Splash Jackson and I’ve got a duty,
To tell you all about Rudy’s big booty,
It’s no where near hot or anything of beauty,
But I do like the booty of her sista Judy. Peace.
DISCLAIMER: Splash Jackson solemnly swears to never, EVER try rapping again. Still, with A2rt’s application, Rhyme, you can begin your feeble career as a wannabe rapper. Or, if you consider yourself more a poet or just need some rhyming words, the Rhyme app has you covered!
A simple yet very handy interface allows you to enter in your desired word, and Rhyme pulls up a phonetic list of rhyming words. It doesn’t stop there: Rhyme then does you the service of sorting the words by 1-, 2-, and 3- or more syllables. The developer claims that Rhyme delivers over 50,000 rhyming words, but I spent most the time finding rhymes for “naughty” words (though I had no luck with the word dairy-aire).
Rhyme works in portrait or landscape mode, and regardless of the two-and-a-half stars in iTunes, Rhyme pulls in at about the four-five star level.
But where is fruity and tooty booty?
VocabDaily Free
Michael (Admin) | Oct 2, 2008 Reference
User rating: (2 votes, average: 3.50 out of 5)
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I’m reviewing a damn word-of-the-day app! Yeah, I’m kind of phoning it in today.
VocabDaily Free pulls the Word of The Day from Merriam-Webster’s website and shows it to you. Fascinating!
It’s actually pretty good if you’re a gigantic word nerd, but the reality is that you probably don’t want to start forcing these words into your daily conversations unless your goal is to have the entire world laughing at you behind your back.
Here’s how NOT to put the Word of The Day to use:
Hot Girl: “Gosh, I’m really sick!”
You: “What you need is a theriac!”
Hot Girl: “What the hell’s a theriac?”
You: “You are a major oaf. Why do you have to be so bilious?”
Hot Girl: “You’re a huge nerd and I’ll never go out with you.”
You: “You’re a fifth column.”
Ok, I didn’t use fifth column correctly, and if I had I’d be forced to punch myself in the face. Seriously, though, expanding your vocabulary is never a bad idea. Who knows, maybe the ladies (or guys) will be impressed after all! Yeah, probably not. Eh. Whatever.
(Taptation puts ads on the free version and for $.99 you can get it without ads. Yawn.)
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- I make fun of this app because it reminds me that I'm borderline retarded
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- If you want to hear this word used in an actual conversation, go talk to Dennis Miller
Tags: free
Wikipanion
Michael (Admin) | Aug 29, 2008 Reference
User rating: (19 votes, average: 3.11 out of 5)
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If you thought your iPhone made you The World’s Biggest Know-It-All before Robert Chin created Wikipanion, you were living a big fat lie!
Wikipanion is really just the Wikipedia website optimized for iPhone and packaged with a couple of usability enhancements built in, but it rules and will make you truly worthy of the Nerd crown you seek. Apart from giving you access to the full range of publicly-maintained knowledge within Wikipedia, Wikipanion gives you a separate table of contents for each article and the accompanying categories that match.
And that’s about it.
Hey, it’s Wikipedia, what more do you want? Sure, it would be nice if you could forward articles to your friends… but if you’re that much of a geek, it might be time to find yourself a girlfriend! Sorry, that was inappropriate.
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- The gateway to Ultimate Nerd-dom
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- Wikipanion suggests searches based on your input
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- It's exactly the same as if you were at the Wikipedia site on your home computer
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- Each article's table of contents is accessed by the "book" icon at the bottom of the screen
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- So many related categories, so little time
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- Sorry iWik, you're screwed as long as Wikipanion is free
Tags: free
