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[Gaaraz]

Here's an interesting app recommendation for you all (especially those with wives/families): Grocery IQ. You can create shopping lists that get separated by department. Also, you can input stores and the order they have their departments, and the list will be ordered that way. You can also scan most food items to add them to your lists. This helps if your wife gets something specific and you don't remember what brand it is. Also, you can connect with someone else's list. So, my wife and I have a grocery list. If I use the last of the milk or something while I'm home and she's at work (she works at a grocery store), the list will be updated for her automatically.

+1 to all of this, I find it incredibly useful, although I use OurGroceries which is maybe a little better... apart from the awful ugly icon it uses! ;_; Either way they're both free, and incredibly handy for all of the reasons you mentioned.

Anyone else use A Perfect Browser? I've been using it forever, is there anything better?

Grazing. http://www.grazingbrowser.com/

@ Gila - Molbi looks good thank you, how does it compare to Instagram?

@ Soulscribe - so this is gorgeous and elegant, and this is ugly? Wat.

@ chick - ProCamera looks great, thank you. I can't decide between that or Camera+ to be honest, but since it has video built in, it'd mean I could just have a single app for taking photos/video (sounds silly, but space is at a premium on my homescreen!) too. I'm wondering does it have a feature like Camera+'s 'clarity' though? It's a big draw for me.

And @ all - Waze is going into the OP now, sounds ace, thanks again for your recommendations. Still curious if it caches your journey in case you lose your data signal somewhere down the line...

 

[FerranMG]

Yesterday I downloaded Animoog, and could barely play with it for a few minutes, but it seems really, really good.

I can't play piano, so other synth apps like Synthtronica or Garageband itself are maybe a bit hard for me to use.
Animoog seemed much easier.

Really looking forward to spending some more time with it!

Has anyone tried it (apart from hyp)?
I'd like to read more about it!

 

[Gaaraz]

Damn, iPad only? Shame. Although I have to say judging by the screenshots it looks rather complicated anyway!

 

[Fusebox]

Yesterday I downloaded Animoog..

I'd like to read more about it!

http://createdigitalmusic.com/2011/10/animoog-moogs-first-ipad-synth-in-videos-and-instrumental-use/

 

[acheron_xl]

Yesterday I downloaded Animoog, and could barely play with it for a few minutes, but it seems really, really good.

I can't play piano, so other synth apps like Synthtronica or Garageband itself are maybe a bit hard for me to use.
Animoog seemed much easier.

Really looking forward to spending some more time with it!

Has anyone tried it (apart from hyp)?
I'd like to read more about it!

Animoog makes some really awesome sounds. Seems like it's really powerful and deep too. Every solid software synth that gets released makes me happier that I got the camera connection kit and a small midi keyboard to noodle around with.

 

[Jedeye Sniv]

Yesterday I downloaded Animoog, and could barely play with it for a few minutes, but it seems really, really good.

I can't play piano, so other synth apps like Synthtronica or Garageband itself are maybe a bit hard for me to use.
Animoog seemed much easier.

Really looking forward to spending some more time with it!

Has anyone tried it (apart from hyp)?
I'd like to read more about it!

Yeah I use it, currently trying to squeeze it into my band's live set as synth bass (i'm a bass player). It's really incredible, and that link that Fusebox posted is super useful for getting to grips with it. You can make some dirty dirty sounds with it, and also some quite lovely ones. I have spent hours on it and barely understand 1% of what it can do. Amazing for a buck.

 

[FerranMG]

http://createdigitalmusic.com/2011/10/animoog-moogs-first-ipad-synth-in-videos-and-instrumental-use/

Awesome, thanks!

I don't know if I'll have time today to play with it some more, you guys are making it harsh to wait!

 

[Gaaraz]

Not relating to the 'Best of iOS' (although maybe it is) but am I right in thinking that the PayPal app will actually let you just take a photo of a cheque, and it gets paid into your PayPal account? No more driving 30 minutes and queueing at the bank?! (edit: bah, US only!)

 

[chickdigger802]

Navigon is easily the best US gps app imo. You can buy it piece meal style. Very slick interface with some cool stuff like lane assist and exit signs and full text to speech.

The upcoming update revamps the UI and allows you store map data by state to greatly reduce the size of the map cached on the device (the biggest flaw is that the current version takes up about 1.6 gb, due to all the map data cached locally).

@gaaraz

Procamera does have a pretty robust image editing suite (for a mobile). It's a bit less user friendly (aka sliders) , but this leads to more precise tuning for images instead of just presets. And there are presets as well.

idk, I like it a fair bit better for a while. The only problem it had before was slow startup and shutterspeed, but that has been pretty much addressed.

 

[Gaaraz]

Ah nice one, thank you! I shall give it a look. Navigon looks good (but not much better than TomTom?) and damn it's expensive...! $120 plus lots of IAP is quite off-putting I think...

 

[Rekwest]

qbro its like camare+ but free.

 

[planar1280]

Amazon finally updated their iOS app to filter products like you do on their website. Finally you can actually use the app.

 

[Eggo]

Best food/restaurant app
- Ness


Most beautiful free app to grace the app store
- Ness (seriously, download this. Why are you just standing there??)

As a foodie, I think Ness is junk. Beautiful interface, no doubt. But the database of restaurants is outdated, rendering the app largely useless. There's shit that comes up in my listings that has been out of business for over two years. I flagged it as closed, and so did other users, but they're not updating the database at all. What is the point of flagging a place closed if they're not going to remove it from the db?

Anyone have puzzle game recommendations? Or nutrition facts/diet/health apps?

Puzzle is probably the best represented genre on iOS behind Tower Defense. PathPix HD, Picross HD, Puzzle Agent, Machinarium, etc.

 

[Marty Chinn]

Having played with Instacast based off so many people recommending it, I can't help but be a bit disappointed in it based on the hype. Is this really the best there is?

- I hate how I have to click one too many times to play the podcast
- It sucks that I can't play the next podcast without going into the app
- My Bluetooth controls won't let me control moving forward or back
- The Bluetooth display doesn't show the time
- Podcasts are stored in the app's sandbox and not available in the normal music player
- Is there no way to set it to check every time the app is open for new podcasts?

I do like how it will auto delete cached podcasts when you complete them though and at least it will auto download when you open the app assuming you've set it to check once an hour.

 

[jax (old)]

can't seem to find the iOS thread but I've noticed of late a series of niggles with regards to certain apps where it is clear that getting the HD version (ipad) is actually worse off as you cannot use them on the iphone - where they will be inherently better (better) camera while the iphone version and you can then also use on the ipad.

eg.

Fatbooth. I have to rebuy for the iphone? I have the ipad version - it has the worse camera so I definitely made a mistake here.

8mm HD. what is hd about this? the interface? I can't use it on my iphone and again, the iphone camera version would be better - and would be usable on both,

definitley something to think about. Both these apps really should have be universal and I can't believe I didn't think about this when I bought them - I think I paid $3 for 8mmHD? Yeah I did.

/rant

 

[strata8]

I think I paid $3 for 8mmHD?

 

[Bboy AJ]

Having played with Instacast based off so many people recommending it, I can't help but be a bit disappointed in it based on the hype. Is this really the best there is?

- I hate how I have to click one too many times to play the podcast
- It sucks that I can't play the next podcast without going into the app
- My Bluetooth controls won't let me control moving forward or back
- The Bluetooth display doesn't show the time
- Podcasts are stored in the app's sandbox and not available in the normal music player
- Is there no way to set it to check every time the app is open for new podcasts?

I do like how it will auto delete cached podcasts when you complete them though and at least it will auto download when you open the app assuming you've set it to check once an hour.

Thanks for this. Seems like Insta is the go to pick but what else?

What's the best podcast app? I want it to automatically update my podcasts. And I want it to be insanely beautiful.

 

[timnich]

What is the best app for gmail on iPhone? I recently reorganized my gmail account completely and I find that while it's ok, the default mail app isnt as good as I want it to be. I'm looking for something like the mobile version of gmail, except in app form. I have the mobile version linked to my homescreen, I'm just looking for something that doesnt use safari.

 

[Crazymoogle]

I was initially annoyed by Instacast but once I found out you could enable downloading over 3G it was over. It's now my podcast app of choice. It checks when I reload, it downloads big podcasts that Music Player will not, and it auto-deletes so that you aren't hanging on to multiple gigs of podcasts at a time. It auto-organizes, it subscribes...it basically solves every problem except for easy fast-forwarding.

Marty, maybe I'm wrong but I've never heard of other apps being able to add content to the core iOS music library? Unfortunate that it needs its own sandbox but I thought that was a fact of life for all non-Apple apps.

Also, it does go on to the next podcast automatically. I haven't tried bluetooth controls but in iOS4 Apple's controls were so terrible I just never used them anyway.

can't seem to find the iOS thread but I've noticed of late a series of niggles with regards to certain apps where it is clear that getting the HD version (ipad) is actually worse off as you cannot use them on the iphone - where they will be inherently better (better) camera while the iphone version and you can then also use on the ipad.

Universal apps have a "+" so you know before you buy.

 

[Ninja Dom]

Seriously, you all NEED My Secret Folder £0.69GBP

-App icon looks like a regular folder

-Import all of your secret photos and videos into the app

-Import your secret contacts, notes and bookmarks (Safari iOS 5 now has private browsing but, still.)

-Passcode lock on the App so nobody can open it.

-iOS devices with a front camera takes a secret picture of all people who attempt to get into the app.

-ONCE AGAIN, a secret place on your iOS device to store you SECRET PICTURES & VIDEOS SECURELY.

 

[Extollere]

Seriously, you all NEED My Secret Folder £0.69GBP

-App icon looks like a regular folder

-Import all of your secret photos and videos into the app

-Import your secret contacts, notes and bookmarks (Safari iOS 5 now has private browsing but, still.)

-Passcode lock on the App so nobody can open it.

-iOS devices with a front camera takes a secret picture of all people who attempt to get into the app.

-ONCE AGAIN, a secret place on your iOS device to store you SECRET PICTURES & VIDEOS SECURELY.

Yeah I downloaded that, and I also tried KYMS app, which is similar. My problem is that both of these apps compress images when they are imported. It's not terribly obvious (you can see it if you look hard enough), but I have some kind of psychological problem with this, where I don't want to look at the images if I know they've been resized or compressed. :lol I tried to find a program like this that doesn't do that though. Guess I'm just gonna jailbreak the phone and install Photoalbums+

 

[Marty Chinn]

I was initially annoyed by Instacast but once I found out you could enable downloading over 3G it was over. It's now my podcast app of choice. It checks when I reload, it downloads big podcasts that Music Player will not, and it auto-deletes so that you aren't hanging on to multiple gigs of podcasts at a time. It auto-organizes, it subscribes...it basically solves every problem except for easy fast-forwarding.

Downloading over 3G is cool but I've been jailbroken for awhile now (except recently cuz of iOS5) so I'm used to disabling the 3G limitation so I don't encounter the download size limit, the crappier quality limitation of YouTube and not being able to use Facetime. So while it's nice, I can easily bypass that limitation.

I definitely like the auto delete aspect of it. I haven't played with it much but does it consider completion based off when it hits the last second or when it gets close enough? I often finish with like a minute left since the last minute is usually thanks, and end music and I don't care to sit through that.

You really don't have an issue of the one too many click through though? I hate how it's click on podcast, click on episode, click on play. They really should skip the description and let me play when I select the episode. Sorta like how the Apple music player is. It's just a tad annoying that I have to click play after I select the episode. Is there a way to just make it play?

Marty, maybe I'm wrong but I've never heard of other apps being able to add content to the core iOS music library? Unfortunate that it needs its own sandbox but I thought that was a fact of life for all non-Apple apps.

I've never had to before so it may not be possible. I was just assuming it could be based off the fact that you can do it with pictures where apps can access and write back. No sandbox there.

Also, it does go on to the next podcast automatically. I haven't tried bluetooth controls but in iOS4 Apple's controls were so terrible I just never used them anyway.

Weird, for me, I see a notification on my lock screen that says bring the app to the foreground to play the next. It sucks because I mostly listen to podcasts in the car through Bluetooth and the controls and time displayed work way better though Apple's app than Instacast. Between what I mentioned here and then earlier in the post about the one too many clicks, it makes it difficult to use while driving.

 

[swoon]

Having played with Instacast based off so many people recommending it, I can't help but be a bit disappointed in it based on the hype. Is this really the best there is?

- I hate how I have to click one too many times to play the podcast
- It sucks that I can't play the next podcast without going into the app
- My Bluetooth controls won't let me control moving forward or back
- The Bluetooth display doesn't show the time
- Podcasts are stored in the app's sandbox and not available in the normal music player
- Is there no way to set it to check every time the app is open for new podcasts?

I do like how it will auto delete cached podcasts when you complete them though and at least it will auto download when you open the app assuming you've set it to check once an hour.

Podcaster might be worth checking out. It solves most of those issues. I can't check the nluetoooth stuff though. It still can autograb/auto delete and everything.

 

[Jedeye Sniv]

The Official NeoGAF Best Games of iOS list is now up!

 

[chickdigger802]

Ah nice one, thank you! I shall give it a look. Navigon looks good (but not much better than TomTom?) and damn it's expensive...! $120 plus lots of IAP is quite off-putting I think...

Yeah, it's not great for europe in terms of coverage.

It's amazing for North America though.

You can pay a la carte by the region you live in for only $30.

 

[Technosteve]

I like feebly, will try out Waz is it better then Navigon?

@Marty I think Siri can be used to skip ahead in podcasts

 

[Marty Chinn]

I like feebly, will try out Waz is it better then Navigon?

@Marty I think Siri can be used to skip ahead in podcasts

Not if I use instacast like its being recommended. I can control it just fine in the main music app. I was just giving instacast a shot based off the high praise.

 

[8sanders]

478,334 in Whale Trail! Now #1 on my friends list. Take that Zeth! I love this game.


Any of you can feel free to add me in game center. Name is 8sanders , just like my Gaf name. I probably have most of you already.

 

[chickdigger802]

I like feebly, will try out Waz is it better then Navigon?

@Marty I think Siri can be used to skip ahead in podcasts

Depends on your usage.

Waze is crowd sourced, wikipedia style, so ymmv.

Navigon is done by, garmin? Don't remember, but yeah it's good.

Just buy the region you live in. If you ever need to travel out of that region, their is iap (all the map data is already in the app, the purchase just 'unlocks' it).

 

[Gaaraz]

The Official NeoGAF Best Games of iOS list is now up!

Ah, many thanks for your hard work on this - fantastic list of games!

And thanks to all for the Waze heads up too, I tried it on the weekend just on a short trip to Stroud and it was decent, although it tried to take home a different way to the way that I got there, hm! Tried to convince my girlfriend to report it as a wrong direction but she couldn't find the option, bah. But so far, so very impressed!

 

[Kunohara]

Just curious about something. I got an iTunes gift card for my birthday, and I was wondering if the money on the gift card will go towards app purchases. This may be a dumb question, but I just wanted to be sure.

 

[Squirrel Killer]

Just curious about something. I got an iTunes gift card for my birthday, and I was wondering if the money on the gift card will go towards app purchases. This may be a dumb question, but I just wanted to be sure.

Yes.

 

[Technosteve]

I have navigon, I like waze's UI very cuteand live traffic updates will get me to use it more for traveling.

 

[Kunohara]

Yes.

Thanks alot.

I live in Canada, and I've read that it was only recently that we are allowed to use these gift cards for apps. I already have a credit card on my account. I assume that if I use my gift card, and buy an app, it will use up the gift card first before my credit card?

Anyone from Canada have any experience with this?

 

[distrbnce]

Seriously, you all NEED My Secret Folder £0.69GBP

-App icon looks like a regular folder

-Import all of your secret photos and videos into the app

-Import your secret contacts, notes and bookmarks (Safari iOS 5 now has private browsing but, still.)

-Passcode lock on the App so nobody can open it.

-iOS devices with a front camera takes a secret picture of all people who attempt to get into the app.

-ONCE AGAIN, a secret place on your iOS device to store you SECRET PICTURES & VIDEOS SECURELY.

Sounds pretty neat, but I don't have any secret pictures :/ life has been boring as of late.


Can someone answer... does that Splashtop app work if your computer (XP) is locked? i.e. can you unlock from it?

And is there an app for masking/cutting elements out of photos and layers and stuff?

 

[Gaaraz]

Yup, you can unlock with Splashtop no problems at all

 

[chickdigger802]

I have navigon, I like waze's UI very cuteand live traffic updates will get me to use it more for traveling.

lol it does seem that waze isn't the best for traveling long distances, but more for learning new paths to local areas you visit consistently.

I'd rather trust actual map data vs community while going to unknown places


Waze is fun to mess around commuting from work/school though.

 

[Alexios]

New user and kinda lost with how locked down iOS seems so far.

I've got a question, if I add an application that reads say, pdf or office files, how is the file importing from PC handled on it? Through itunes or some other thing?

And what's a good file explorer type app that can give a folder view to everything on my iPad 2?

Something like this FileApp thing but including all in the same app, not having you buy that and then also buy the DiskAid for transfer of stuff on top of that.
http://www.digidna.net/products/fileapp
http://www.digidna.net/products/diskaid

Unless you lot think those are 100% worth the money with no downsides.

Oh, and that's a slick iOS style calculator without ads? That one that was in the top apps in the store doesn't look very nice to me, is it worth paying for it?
Edit: Nevermind, got the tapbot one.

 

[BeeDog]

All this Reeder vs. Feedly RSS talk inspired me into getting River of News, since it was discounted today. It's a very nicely designed RSS reader and very reminiscent of some PC RSS readers (like Sage or Brief, the Firefox plugins). I feel I can recommend it despite my short time using it.

 

[Baconbitz]

I'm involved in the novel challenge thing and I was usIng google docs and when I was on wifi it wiped part of what I wrote 'cause it refreshed. So, is there a good google docs app of which I can write offline and not have to worry about what happened to me earlier happening again?

 

[Sarye]

What is the best app for gmail on iPhone? I recently reorganized my gmail account completely and I find that while it's ok, the default mail app isnt as good as I want it to be. I'm looking for something like the mobile version of gmail, except in app form. I have the mobile version linked to my homescreen, I'm just looking for something that doesnt use safari.

nothing yet however some good news. The Native Gmail app for the iphone is close to being released.

source: http://parislemon.com/post/12181169812/incoming-a-native-gmail-iphone-app-finally

 

[Gaaraz]

Native gmail app would be neat, interested to try that (although it won't let me check my Me account, so I'd need both apps, meh)

Also! Just keeping with the Camera+ vs stock camera app, and have to say the 'Clarity' feature of Camera+ completely blows the autocolour from the iOS photos app out of the water, absolutely.

 

[Alexios]

Is there a homebrew iPad/iOS thread like there is for PSP/Wii and such? Or is this not as safe yet? I'd only trust a GAF guide for that stuff. I was looking for media players that can stream stuff like navi-xtreme and XBMC iOS version came up but it's not on the App Store. Is there anything on the App Store that can do similar?

Edit: nm, I found that thread and I guess Jailbreaking isn't to the level of Wii homebrew yet, I'd only do it if it didn't affect official functions.

What about a streaming media app then, that can connect to decent networks?

 

[LCfiner]

Thanks alot.

I live in Canada, and I've read that it was only recently that we are allowed to use these gift cards for apps. I already have a credit card on my account. I assume that if I use my gift card, and buy an app, it will use up the gift card first before my credit card?

Anyone from Canada have any experience with this?

yes, this is how it works.

 

[Kunohara]

yes, this is how it works.

Great, will apply it when I get home.

I also remember this app I saw awhile ago where you can scan (or just look at) a document, and it will translate it right on the page itself you are looking at. Am I crazy or does this exist? Would be handy since I sometimes get letters from Quebec at work, and they forget sometimes that there are two official languages instead of one

 

[Jedeye Sniv]

I'm involved in the novel challenge thing and I was usIng google docs and when I was on wifi it wiped part of what I wrote 'cause it refreshed. So, is there a good google docs app of which I can write offline and not have to worry about what happened to me earlier happening again?

Not really that I know of. There is a word processor app, I think it's Office2 (like squared) that can save via Google apps but there is no reliable, easy way to do it from what I've seen. If anyone else knows otherwise then please let me in on the secret.

Personally, I'm using Pages, dropbox and email in a kind of flow config. If I'm writing on the iPad I'll use Pages. When I'm finished (say, I get home or i'm in the office) I'll email the doc to myself and download the file on my PC which takes maybe a minute all told. And then I'll work on it on a desktop for a while. When I'm finished I'll upload it to Dropbox which I can then log into on the iPad and open the doc in Pages, beginning the cycle all over again. It sounds complex but it seems to work pretty well in practice. Basically, I just make sure I have an up to date version on Dropbox as often as possible, makes everything easier.

 

[LCfiner]

Great, will apply it when I get home.

I also remember this app I saw awhile ago where you can scan (or just look at) a document, and it will translate it right on the page itself you are looking at. Am I crazy or does this exist? Would be handy since I sometimes get letters from Quebec at work, and they forget sometimes that there are two official languages instead of one

i think you're thinking of word lens but that one only has a spanish english dictionary. maybe anther company used similar tech with other languages but I never heard of one

 

[Jedeye Sniv]

Is there a homebrew iPad/iOS thread like there is for PSP/Wii and such? Or is this not as safe yet? I'd only trust a GAF guide for that stuff. I was looking for media players that can stream stuff like navi-xtreme and XBMC iOS version came up but it's not on the App Store. Is there anything on the App Store that can do similar?

Edit: nm, I found that thread and I guess Jailbreaking isn't to the level of Wii homebrew yet, I'd only do it if it didn't affect official functions.

What about a streaming media app then, that can connect to decent networks?

What do you mean by Streaming media? There are some apps that can run stuff from your home PC - AirVideo and AudioGalaxy can stream video and music from your homebox respectively and they seem to work pretty well form my experience with them.

Jailbreaking on iOS5 isn't quite back up and running yet from what I can tell. And tbh, I've never even considered it. What kinds of things would you want to do that you can't already? Beyond stuff like a file explorer, which I can't think of a use for?

 

[Alexios]

Streaming from online services and other users, not from your PC. Like http://navix.turner3d.net/ which you can stream with XBMC. Actually I'm not sure if that's the site. I didn't know what that is myself until I installed WiiMC on my Wii which can connect to that service it calls Navi-Xtreme too and it's pretty cool, if limited (or I don't know how to search well yet). Didn't know there are file explorers too, I'd love to have a decent folder style scheme on my iPad to basically transfer my "My Documents" etc structure from my PC. Btw anyone else prefer going to gmail in safari instead of using the iPad mail app? It seems better to me...

What's a nice drawing application? Kinda should have gotten one of those already I guess. Something that can have tools like that DS Art Academy game would be nice but I'm not a pro or anything so simpler will work too.

 

[Gaaraz]

Really hard to justify Snapseed at $4.99 when Camera+ does all of the same plus more for $0.99. Any objections to me changing up the OP?