Pros
- Tremendous remote control database
- Simple key layout
- Very easy to customize
- Powerful infrared transceiver
Cons
- Bit complex to set up remote (too many steps)
- Favorites require association to Activity
- Unable to disable vibration within application
- Inability to add user images for buttons
- Steep price
The Bottom Line
You can finally take control of all remote controls in one place with the Rē. The Rē contains enough built-in infrared databases to make you say aloud, “I’ve never heard of half of these brands,” while easily finding your well known brand. Finally be able to view a DVD from your home theater with just one button press while the Rē powers and sets everything up for you.
Ratings
Recommended
Yes
Full Review
I once had an iPAQ 3600 series that had a built-in universal remote by Nevo. I loved it as it was always with me and became a major factor in my work outs at the club since I no longer had to beg the staff to change the channels on the TVs. It also made home entertainment as well as playing tricks at my friends house simple and fun. Thankfully Barry Baril of NewKinetix also enjoyed the same experiences as I did with his iPAQ of yesteryear and this was, “One of my motivations to build the Rē,” he told me in an email. Outside of the built-in infrared port missing from the iPhone, is the Rē as good as the Nevo?
Ratings
Pros
- Pleasant looking interface
- Excellent iPod player
- Google Maps integration for POIs
- On-screen speed limit indicator
- Logo-based POIs for easy identification
- Superb traffic alerts and up-to-date information
Cons
- Pop-up notifications takes GPS off-line
- No Google or Internet search integration
- Lack of podcast support in Music Player
- Does not support suite numbers in Contacts and mis-routes
The Bottom Line
Magellan RoadMate ignores the iPhones sleek user interface in favor of its own look-and-feel which will help owners of Magellan’s dash mount PNDs jump right into the iPhone application. For first time Magellan users, the simply layout will be a quick learn for any experienced GPS user. Once on the road, RoadMate wraps up its well defined experience into a tightly knit package that will get your to your destination quickly, easily, and accurately.
Recommended
Yes
Full Review
Magellan went a, um excuse the pun, different route with its iPhone navigation application. Instead of using many of the familiar iPhone menu items and other common iPhone attributes, Magellan stuck with its interface from its Personal Navigation Device (PND) units found on the windshields of thousands of vehicles across America. This twist helps those going from the PND to the iPhone to minimize the learning curve while keeping the user experience satisfying.
Read the rest of this entry »
Ratings
Pros
- Best interface we’ve seen
- Excellent iPod player
- Google Maps integration for POIs
- On-screen speed limit indicator
- Logo-based POIs for easy identification
- Superb traffic alerts and up-to-date information
Cons
- Worse routing we’ve seen
- POI and highway icons too small to easily view
- Limited internal POI database
- End-point address not display
- Does not support suite numbers in Contacts and mis-routes
The Bottom Line
Navigon MobileNavigator has everything going for it from a beautiful interface, to a well integrated iPod player, to top notch traffic information, down to Google Local Search. The irony is its failure, routing! Time after time, MobileNavigator failed to route us to our destination in the quickest manner. Until Navigon can correct this, for $90, we can’t even begin to recommend this for your iPhone.
Recommended
No
Full Review
SvenOnTech first came across Navigon about three years ago with its stylus — yes stylus! — based PND unit and gave it a try after seeing its pleasing interface with POI icons that were logo of the place of business. What we found after a week of use was some odd routing behavior. Most of the issues were in the country and we wrote it off to that fact. Improvement would surely come in the coming years. So when SvenOnTech receive MobileNavigator for the iPhone, I was curious to see how it would take me home, literally. Was Navigon able to fix its PND deficiency or would I roll my eyes and ask, “Why?”
Pros
- Ability to create custom albums on the phone
- Can delete multiple photos at once
- Works smoothly with Picasa and Flickr
Cons
- A bit pricy
- Syncing only through WiFi
- Buggy
- Limited to uploading only to Picasa and Flickr
- Cumbersome at times
The Bottom Line
The concept is a good one but the software is still quite buggy and in
need of some work.
Ratings
Recommended
No
Full Review
The concept behind SplashPhoto for iPhone is to enable iPhone users to better manage their photos from their phones. Unfortunately the app falls short in many respects. The concept is great, but the app is in need of some serious tweaking.
Pros
- Incredible big sound from such a small unit
- Cool retro look
- Full iPod/iPhone integration
- Supports non-Apple hardware
- Remote with storage compartment
- Informative and easy to read LCD screen*
Cons
- Lack of storage for iPod/iPhone adapters and audio cable
- * Difficult to read LCD when characters are scrolling
- Black color susceptible to dust
- No HD Radio
The Bottom Line
Altec has packed a box with boom and it’s called the MIX iMT800. It’ll play jamz from your iPod or iPhone…and tell you the name of that tune and who’s singing it. Sporting the retro look from the 70s and 80s, Altec when classic with a AM/FM radio and threw in a slick remote. Down to the orange LCD display, the MIX screams “take notice!” and once you have, your ears will thank you for doing so.
Ratings
Recommended
Yes
Full Review
I have always been a huge fan of Altec Lansing. Biased? Ya, maybe, but with such a rich history of great sounding products, who wouldn’t be? When Altec sent me the MIX my first item of test was the bass it thumped about in all of its PR Altec had sent. In went the iPhone 3GS and on went the test play list. “Woo,” was my response and believe it or not, but my next action even surprised me. I turned down the bass. Not because it was sloppy but because it was too over powering! “Dude, this thing booms!” I shouted over “September” by Earth, Wind, & Fire. Ya, but how would it sound against Aretha, Andy Gibb, JT, Slaughter, Mother Love Bone, and Will Smith? Could the MIX get jiggy with it?
Pros
- Easy to use
- Extensive templates for various types of data
- Very customizable
- Syncs with both PC and Mac
Cons
- Lack of cable sync (for those without WiFi)
- Somewhat plain looking interface
The Bottom Line
In a world full of user ID’s , passwords, PIN numbers, and so on, who can possibly remember them all? Splash ID hits a home run in addressing this dilemma in one simple easy to use application that securely stores, essentially, your life in one spot.
Ratings
Recommended
Yes
Full Review
I have been using this Splash ID App for about 2 months now and to tell you the truth at first I thought that I wouldn’t use it all that much once I got all the info plugged into it. But since having this app I have found myself referring back to Splash ID where all my personal info is safely tucked away just for me constantly. There isn’t much that I don’t like about Splash ID. In fact, I have found it very difficult to to find any cons for this review!
Pros
- The virtual cellar – one glance shows you the wine you have and the wine you want!
- Large collection of wines in database
- Very easy to understand on first use.
- Reasonable price
Cons
- Access to wine database much slower using the 3G network.
- A little glitchy and slow to save data.
The Bottom Line
If you want fingertip access to search for wines you love, track the wines you have and plan for wines you will buy, this application is well priced to meet your needs.
Ratings
Recommended
Yes
Full Review
I was recently given the Drync wine application for my iPhone with the promise that I would use and review this application. Let me begin by saying that I am not a wine expert, but I really like good wine. In the early 90s, I worked as a waiter in a high-end wine and cheese shop. I learned several valuable lessons early on, but at the top of the list I learned to ignore the hype and simply drink what you like. Over the years, the brand, winery, vintage, grape, and cost of the wine has meant little to me, I have consistently focused on the wine I liked and then tried to remember it the next time I was buying wine.
Pros
- Very addictive game
- Easy to learn
- Difficult levels adds for long-term fun
- Easy on the eyes
Cons
- Inability to play saved games
- Price point could be lower
The Bottom Line
Apple progressively pushes the iPhone and iPod touch as gaming platform and developers have welcomed this push. With a slew of games to choose from, it’s becoming difficult to find that perfect game. Cronk fills the need for good addictive game play and while it’s a little pricey, it will not become old anytime soon.
Ratings
Recommended
Yes
Full Review
I’ll be upfront right from the get-go. I don’t have time for games. I come from the Atari 2600 generation and loved all my gaming systems up to my Sega Genesis. But after college and Sims 2000, I pretty much gave up on games. But from time to time, I need a stop-gap and a game here and there can fill that need. The slimmies at Cronk Games had to send me Cronk, didn’t they? I quickly found my stop-gap trickle over into “things I should be doing” time in little time flat.
Pros
- Fast, efficient, and well laid out
- Extremely versatile
- Highly customizable
- Synchronization with desktop client
- Cleaver use of iPhone features
Cons
- Number pad not automatically enabled for numeric entry
- No remote sync
- Need letter tab index for long lists
- Done soft-button does not save entries
The Bottom Line
If you’re a person of order and need an easy to manage and read list application for your iPhone that also talks nicely with your Mac or PC, then take a splash with this refreshing application that will immediately put a check in your “Buy list program” todo today.
Ratings
Recommended
Yes (Conditional)
Full Review
I’ve come to need list programs on my smartphone. It’s an absolute must for my device, be it PDA years ago or smartphone today. So, when the iPhone released in 2007 without application support, I was heavily bummed. Sure, there were a swarm of web apps that helped elevate this problem, but when you didn’t have a strong signal, or one at all, you basically had no list. When Apple announced its SDK in January of 2008, I was excited because I knew I would have a list program. Something. Anything. I wasn’t picky at that point. Thankfully, SplashData was keen to make its popular list program, SplashShopper, for the iPhone and that pleased me beyond all expectations. As a long time user of SplashShopper dating back four years now, I was a bit giddy over the news. But, let me put on my unbiased reporter hat and give you the deets on the iPhone version. You might be surprised to read what I wrote.
When SplashData informed SvenOnTech of the release of SplashShopper, it gave us a running start with it the day of the release. We’ve used it and abused it since. Like most of our reviews, we go the distance so we can sniff out the problems as well as highlight the greatness. Our time with SplashShopper allowed us to find many things that we feel will be helpful to our readers in making their decision in a list program.
Read the rest of this entry »