Android – Iphone – Applications

Until someone releases a full-bodied Adobe Illustrator clone for iOS, creative people have to get by with a suite of novel and useful apps that each do some small part of what Illustrator can do. One recently released such app is VectorPro, an automatic tracing program that allows users to quickly create, edit, and share SVG files from pre-generated images.

VectorPro is pretty easy to use. You simply either snap a photo or open a saved image (a picture you’ve taken, a sketch you’ve drawn, etc.) and then use the program to trace it into a black and white vector graphic. It loads and traces everything quickly and smoothly (though it does generate an annoying “this process may take a while” pop up message every time you adjust a setting, even though it never takes “a while”). The controls available for adjusting the image are very basic: you can simplify or curve the traced image by degree, and you can blur or sharpen the image outside of the tracing process. These functions work fine, though it feels like there could me more here.

As for exporting, there’s only one option available: sending the SVG via e-mail. More options would be welcome here, such as adding files via iTunes or (preferably) syncing with cloud services like Dropbox or even Google Docs. Once exported, though, I was able to open and manipulate the SVG file in an older version of Adobe Illustrator with no problems.

Really, VectorPro is a perfectly decent app that is VERY focused and VERY niche. Outside of a few graphics professionals who want to create vector graphics from sketches or photos on the go, I’m not sure who would find this app worth its current $4.99 price. If you’re in the market for that functionality, though, then VectorPro may be the choice for you.

[ Vector Pro Review is a post from 148Apps ]

written by rockingevil \\ tags: Iphone, iphone apps and games, overall-rating, price, productivity, ramen shoppe, rating, review, sending-the-svg, though-it-never, vector graphics, vectorpro

Note: this review focuses on use with an iPad, but the iDisplay application is universal and all devices – iPhone, iPod Touch and iPad – will work.

iDisplay is a tool that transforms your iPhone, iPod Touch and iPad into a secondary display for your mac or PC, acting just like any other external monitor. To get started, you’ll first need a copy of iDisplay Desktop – software built specifically for iDisplay. It’s free, quick and simple to set up, and once installed, does all the work.

Instead of connecting an iPad to your computer, it’s all done over-the-air on your local network. The application will automatically generate a local IP address to which the iPad can connect and be transformed into an additional monitor (with its full 1024

written by margs \\ tags: Application, desktop, display-review, idisplay, Iphone, price, productivity, work

When the iPad was first released last April, one of the first apps I downloaded was GoodReader for iPad. And for good reason: because GoodReader was, at the time, the best option for viewing, reading, annotating, and moving documents on the iPad. Lots of other productivity apps have sprung up since then, but GoodReader for iPad continues to be the best one-stop shop for iPad document management.

GoodReader is known to many as a PDF program, and it does that extremely well. It opens files flawlessly; allows for searching and bookmarking; and features a full suite of annotating options — you can highlight, underline, and even write over the page, and then save your annotations. While iBooks may offer up a more elegant reading experience in terms of page flipping pleasantries, for function and features there’s no more robust program on iPad than GoodReader.

GoodReader’s document management goes beyond PDFs, though. It allows you to view many different document types, including DOC files, picture files, TXT PowerPoint files, and iWork files. These documents don’t come with all the robust annotating options, but it still makes GoodReader a quick and efficient document reader, especially if you need to sort through a shared drive with many different kinds of files. And if you need to edit a DOC file or want to read something in iBooks, you can send them there directly from GoodReader. You can even sync files directly via WiFi.

If I had to point to any flaws in GoodReader, it would be a slightly inelegant interface. For example, finding the place where you can change the size or color of the markup tool is an adventure. It’s not under Viewing PDF options, it’s not under General options, and it’s not a convenient pop-up in the markup tool. Instead, it’s a feature you can edit only after you make the note, by tap-and-holding the annotation. I would have much preferred the ability to format my pen BEFORE making a note.

Ultimately, GoodReader is one of those apps that makes the iPad better. It’s a solid, reliable productivity app that will certainly enhance the user experience of anyone who wants to make the iPad part of their workflow.

[ GoodReader for iPad Review is a post from 148Apps ]

written by lpirozzolo \\ tags: $2.99, annotations, change-the-size, device-reviewed, document reader, ipad, markup, pdf, pdf reader, power, price, productivity, user

I’m Coming is handy little app with a single, clever function. Once you figure out what it is and what it does, you’ll begin to realize countless applications. So, what does I’m Coming do?

I’m Coming is part GPS, part map, and part SMS and e-mail client. To use I’m Coming, first choose a destination in the Route Manager part of the app. Next, after the Google-powered map shows a route from your current location to that destination, choose a point along the route. Once this point is set, write a message and choose a recipient from your built-in contacts list. With a few more tweaks, hit the road. At the designated part of your journey, I’m Coming will send the pre-written message.(…)
Read the rest of I’m Coming Tells ‘em You’re On Your Way

Insomnia is a crippling problem for many, many people, and while there are numerous paths to finally attaining sleep, sometimes simple relaxation exercises can do what medications cannot. That’s where SleepStream 2 comes in. A relaxation app, SleepStream 2 allows users to customize a sleep induction to meet their needs. It’s a terrific fit on the iPhone, and the audio quality is crisp and clean, making it an easy app to recommend to those who suffer from sleeplessness.

The initial interface for SleepStream 2 provides a simple and easy-to-use introduction to the program. You can choose the type of sound you want generated – from drones to fireplaces to rain and the ever-present waves – but then you can further customize these with multiple sub-categories. Rain, for instance, can be a forest drizzle, in the city or on a tent. Each sound is distinct and well-crafted, so you never get the sense that these are “canned” or, even worse, electronically-generated sounds. Once you’ve selected a base sound, you can customize it even further by adding an overlay sound (a soft piano is included when you download the app) and setting a timer to play the sound either endlessly or for a pre-sent time of your choosing. If images help, there is a selection of “visualizations” to choose from as well.

Developer Explosive Apps (ironic name for a company making relaxation apps, isn’t it?) also includes an area for downloadable content, which, fortunately, is not based on the “freemium” model but is simply FREE. Extra photos, music and even voice-based guided relaxation exercises are available via the app for no additional cost. There are some packages that have additional fees involved, but you will be amazed by the amount of free extra content provided by the developer.

My only complaint about SleepStream 2 is a very small one. It would be nice to be able to save/record and export a customized sleep-induction to the iPod (or even, for that matter, within the SleepStream app itself). That way, users could create a variety of relaxation exercises they have customized themselves, and pull them up quickly and easily whenever they want.

But, that said, SleepStream 2 is a terrific app with a large amount of content, particularly considering its $0.99 price point. If you’re looking for a new way to combat insomnia, or even looking to relax more at the end of a busy day, SleepStream 2 is a viable, unique option.

[ SleepStream 2 Review is a post from 148Apps ]

written by lpirozzolo \\ tags: audio, city, device-reviewed, Iphone, iphone apps and games, ipod, overall-rating, price, productivity, rating, review, sleep