Graphic Halloween Horror!

                      

Halloween has always been my favorite holiday, besides Christmas. When I think of Halloween, I think of guts, blood and zombies. For some Halloween is a time of thrills and indulging on suppressed desires (like eating a lot of unhealthy candy). However, it is also a time when inner creativity is praised. For that reason this week I want to explain the importance of having superior graphics in your apps. What's more graphic then blood, guts, and zombies? Even though we are still far from the designing process, I thought we could look at the basic of graphics. So why are these designs important? Bottom line is they make more money. Even if you are not the most artistic person, it is easy to admit that a nice picture will attract you more. Without much effort into buying an app, people will judge the app by the description, ratings and pictures.

As I said before, a majority of the top selling apps have top notch graphics and are have creative ideas. Since its Halloween, lets look at some Halloween themed apps for examples. There is an app called the zombie booth. The app uses your photos to create a 3 dimensional zombie from the picture. This app is a creative example of using high quality graphics. Although it does not allow for a lot of creativity to the user, it does allow you to change aspects of the zombie. Last year, the publishers made a huge business mistake of releasing their app right after Halloween. However, I give them kudos for making it easy to record and upload videos to multiple social websites directly from the app. Free advertising is always a plus in my book!

A great Halloween app will allow users to be creative as well. This is where  Halloween card creator comes in. This gives you custom design. This is what people want. It is less interesting since it is a card creator but it isn't always about the idea but about how it is implemented. An ironic fact is you can make you app better with these other apps. There are a few apps that are free and can help you create some amazing graphics.  Although though my tips where focused on Halloween themed apps, they can be applied to all apps.

In conclusion, plot out every detail of your app. Releasing apps on certain days can change how well you do. The majority of top sellers allow for creativity in their apps and  have high quality graphics. Social Networks are a source of free advertising. There are many free apps that allow for your graphics to become better. Many people still judge a book by its cover so make the cover amazing.

Happy Halloween everyone!

Eric's Picks: Which Internet Radio App is Better?

Here is the answer you all have been waiting for! These are my reviews of iHeartRadio and Pandora. The victor is decided at the end! 

iHeartRadio

iHeartRadio seems to have the total package. Users can listen to radio stations from all over the country and create stations from a catalog of over 11 million songs. In my testing of the app, I have determined that there are many bugs to work out.

Pros:

The app has a much larger music database than Pandora, about a 10 million song difference. iHeartRadio allows you to long in using Facebook. I definitely like not having to make a new account. The app does a good job choosing similar songs for playback. iHeartRadio allows users to like or dislike certain songs to further personal the stations. The user interface is friendly. The app has live radio stations that are categorized under the find tab and personal station under the create tab. The sound quality is great and there is no lag while streaming.

Cons:

iHeartRadio constantly crashed on me. Every time I tried to exit a radio station (live or personal), it would crash. This was extremely annoying. When I would go back into the app to play a personal station, the same exact five songs would repeat. I expected a different variety of songs to play each time the app opened, especially when they claim to have a music database of 11 million songs. It does not seem that the 11 million songs are used to their full potential. To login into the app, one must have a Facebook account. This isolates many potential users without a Facebook account.

Overall, iHeartRadio has more potential. It has the opportunity to set the standard for future online radio apps. The inclusion of real radio and a large music catalog makes it a strong competitor to Pandora.

Pandora

Pandora Radio has been around for over a decade. They have a music catalog of about 1 million songs and a user base of over 100 million.

Pros:

Pandora has a great user friendly interface. It has 4 tabs for previous created stations, creation of stations, bookmarks, and settings. The bookmark feature allows users to save any song they hear and like. Users are able to go to the bookmark tab to listen to any saved song. Pandora plays different songs each time the app is opened. Like iHeartRadio, this app has the like or dislike button to further personalize stations. The app is great about replaying songs I like, and does not overwhelm me. Pandora is great at introducing me to new songs related to my liked songs. Pandora never crashed on me.

Cons:

Pandora does not stream live radio. It only lets users create their own stations. There are other apps that allow for live radio streaming, but it would be nice to have it included. The music catalog is not as big as iHeartRadio, but this was not noticeable. Pandora does not allow users to login using Facebook, therefore creating a need to for a new account. Pandora would play too many live renditions of songs no matter how much I disliked them. I prefer listening to original songs instead of remixes and live versions.   

  

Pandora does not have access to many of the songs or live radio stations as iHeartRadio does, but it has more experience in the business of internet radio. Pandora is the better app overall. The use of bookmarks and smarter radio personalization makes it a favorite of mine. I like that it does not crash on me and has a sleeker user interface. Pandora is the champion as of now, but iHeartRadio has much potential. 

Eric’s Picks: iHeartRadio vs. Pandora

Online radio heavyweights iHeartRadio and Pandora are fighting to take over the internet radio universe. Both apps are free in Apple’s App Store and offer similar products. The apps allow users to create radio stations based on their music tastes. Users choose an artist or song for each station and like or dislike each song played to further personalize the station. Pandora is currently winning this fight with over 100 million registered users. In an effort to catch up, iHeartRadio is putting everything on the line. An updated interface, music festival, ad-free promotion through 2011, and a large music selection of 11 million songs have made iHeartRadio a strong competitor. I have been testing these apps out for the past few weeks.  Each has its strong suits, but one is slightly better than the other. Check back later this week to see which app takes the title as best online radio app!

Jesica on Jobs: What set Apple apart?

What is it about Apple that makes it such an incredible platform for app makers and users?  To answer this question we must look into the visionary of Apple, the late Steve Jobs.  His tragic passing has prompted numerous publications that recall his life as an innovator and legacy as a revolutionary.  Time Magazine called him “The Inventor of the Future” and it is hard to dispute.  He successfully revolutionized six industries: personal computers, animate movies, music, phones, tablet computing and digital publishing. 

It is hard to believe that one man could accomplish so much, but it is evident in my own daily life.  At this moment I am typing on a Mac OS X - an item that I consider to be as personally valuable (& awesome) as my car!  I never believed I would be as excited about a device again, until I picked up my first iPhone- to this day, it has never ceased to amaze me.  And you know why?- it’s designed for that.  There are new apps created everyday and existing apps are easily updated to stay current to our demands as consumers.  And demanding we are- Steve Jobs created a standard of perfection that is evident in his every venture.  

Whereas most companies specialize in hardware or software or operating systems or retail, Apple does them all at once.  Steve Job’s described this vertical integration as the “whole widget”.  In reality it is the idea that, ‘if you want something done right, you have to do it yourself’.   In an interview with The Independent, Jobs describes the thought behind the Mac experience:

"Other computer makers provide one part of the solution; we're the last company providing everything.  With the other guys, whenever something doesn't work they all point fingers at each other -- it's the software, it's the hardware, it's the network. With us, we make the whole widget."

I believe that this is the answer to our original question:  What is it about Apple that makes it such an incredible platform for app makers and users?  It is the fact that Jobs successfully built a corporation he called ‘insanely great’- one that was a technological microcosm of perfection maintained by absolute control.  There are guidelines and rules for Apple to accept your app into their marketplace which include a range of development topics, including user interface design, functionality, content, and the use of specific technologies.  It is this intense quality control that has overseen the success of Apple designs and its app developers. 

Steve Jobs has left a tremendous legacy and a high standard for simple technological perfection.  He was a master of knowing what we all wanted before we did- even if that meant a phone that can also be used to test if your friends are morons.  No matter the app- it is the simple, beautifully interactive interface fueled by Jobs’ innovation that we will forever appreciate.  

Bryan’s Bulletins : Apple makes apps better

First we must understand the iPhone before we create an app for a phone, right? Ok! So this blog explains what an iPhone has and what its potential with apps are.  Lets jump right into learning about the iPhone. Start with the basics.  

Gestures

All iPhone apps respond to Gestures not clicks. There are 9 gestures on on both iPhone and iPad. (these are important to understand so I copied the chart straight from the apple IOS website)

• Tap - To press or select a control or item (analogous to a single mouse click
• Drag - To scroll or pan (that is, move side to side).
• Flick - To scroll or pan quickly
• Swipe - In a table-view row, to reveal the Delete button.
• Double tap - To zoom in and center a block of content or an image.
• Double tap - To zoom out (if already zoomed in).
• Pinch open - To zoom in.
• Pinch close - To zoom out.
• Touch and hold - In editable text, to display a magnified view for cursor positioning.
• Shake - To initiate an undo or redo action.

These gestures are one of apples keys to success, along with great customer service. These gestures allow users to interact with their iPhone like never before. Gestures give users the ability to actually be in the app, interact with it, and not just watch it.

The Hardware


The hardware doesn’t seem all the important at 1st glance; however the hardware enables faster graphics and response time. (Apples iPhone 4S has a dual-core a-5 chip.) The better the chip the faster everything will load, including apps. It also allows for a longer battery life. Apple’s transparent electrodes below the screen are what allows for gestures and multiple point screen. Without this, there would be no gestures. The Accelerometer inside the iPhone allows it to be oriented. It knows when it is being tilted in terms of a 3d plain. To make it simple, it has a balance like we do and knows when it is upside down. It allows game apps like “Cro-Mag Rally” that makes you use forward, backward, left, and right tilts on your iPhone/iPad. Better software means potentially better apps.


The Camera


The camera is great for taking pictures and uploading them on Facebook. It also enables a motion detection input device that allows apps to have human computer interaction. (Ex: It would allow something similar to the Xbox Kinect on the iPhone.) As far as I know, this has not been done on the iPhone. The camera still has a lot of unused potential with apps. Using the camera as motion detection input device would be an amazing inclusion for an app.


Siri


Siri is like an advanced version of OnStar for your iPhone. It is voice recognition software with a brain. Apple writes “Siri… lets you use your voice to send messages, schedule meetings, place phone calls, and more.” There is so much potential for apps with the use of voice recognition software.


With the new iPhone and some creativity the potential for new apps are endless. Now that you understand what the iPhone is capable of, the apps that you can create are endless.


Tune in next week and to find out about some startling iPhone/iPad history.

App-Source Report: Steve Jobs Passes

Steve Jobs passed on October 5th, 2011. "Apple has lost a visionary and creative genius, and the world has lost an amazing human being. Those of us who have been fortunate to know and work with Steve have lost a dear friend and an inspiring mentor. Steve Jobs leaves behind a company that only he could have built, and his spirit will forever be the foundation of Apple," reads a statement from Apple's website.

 Jobs has been fighting a battle with pancreatic cancer since 2004. This comes as a shock, but was somehow expected. Steve Jobs' cancer has forced him go on medical intermittently. In August, he resigned as CEO of Apple. "I have always said if there ever came a day when I could no longer meet my duties and expectations as Apple's CEO, I would be the first to let you know. Unfortunately, that day has come." Jobs was 56 when he died.

Jobs's time at Apple will not be forgotten. He has revolutionized personal computing, digital music, and mobile devices. Jobs ensured that each of Apple's products would be crafted with elegance and technological innovation in mind. iPods, iPads, iPhones and Macs easily became the must have items of this generation. These products were functional and enjoyable. Jobs accomplished much in his life. Jobs brought Pixar to the forefront of animation and founded NeXT, an object-oriented software company.

Steve Jobs leaves behind a legacy of success. His impact on technology will continue to inspire his millions of people. He was a father, friend, and innovator. Steve Jobs will be missed dearly.

App-Source would like to thank Steve Jobs for his contributions to the world.

Steve Jobs 1955-2011

Eric’s Picks: The Moron Test

The Moron Test

Category: Game

Price: $0.99

Rating: 4+

Buy Now: The Moron Test - App Store

Have a friend who thinks they are smarter than everyone else? Challenge them with The Moron Test. They are guaranteed to fail. This is one of the most frustrating, fun, intelligent, and cunning apps to ever hit the app store. It will make you question your own intelligence. Moron uses a series of tests to determine if you are a moron or a genius. The Moron Test includes five sections/tests to choose from, and is growing with each update.

Each test has many tasks. They start out simple. For instance, players must touch the biggest duck. As progress is made, the tasks become increasingly harder, or should I say trickier. Most tasks seem complex, until completed. This app does its’ best to be witty. For example, Moron will ask players to touch an orange button 10 times. To confuse players, the creators put other color buttons around the orange one and change all the colors half way through the task. Once the task is complete, it will leave them on the same page for an extra 10 seconds in hopes they press the button again. This is why I fail a lot. These test are tricky will test one’s patience.

To make losing easier, the developers involve cute hilarious cartoon animals and objects in each task. One of my favorite comedic moments is when one must tap rubber ducks according to eye size.

Tips for winning:

• Read the tasks thoroughly.
• Always be on your toes (or fingers in this case), you never know when a giraffe, turtle, or some other adorable animal will appear.
• If a task does not make sense, examine the screen. Things may be hidden in corners.
• Expect to fail.

Checkpoints allow players to start further into the game, rather than restarting when making a mistake. Checkpoints only allow for a limited amount of restarts before players start from the beginning. The game does become too difficult when they have quick tasks. The game will say quick and list the task, but give players only a few seconds to complete. There needs to be more time to react. Some of the tasks are not clear and take a few times to attempt. Unfortunately, this causes players to fail and restart the test. The questions appear in the same order every try. Mixing the questions up would make replaying the game more interesting. Updates do help keep the game fresh by adding new sections.

Overall the game is entertaining. The downside is that there is not much replay ability and some tasks are too difficult. The upside is that The Moron Test is great for kicks and giggles with your closest friends. You will see friends become angry after failing 30 times and fall on the floor laughing. See who can get the furthest in the test before failing or who can completes it the fastest. Keep playing so you can outsmart your friends. This app is completely ridiculous but bundles of fun. Once you complete this game you will no longer be a moron, but a genius!   

Eric’s Score: 4/5 Stars

Tune in next week for Bryan and Jesica's write ups!