SoundHound: iPhone App

SoundHound is probably one of my favorite apps. It is also one I use fairly regularly. Essentially what the app does is listen to the audio and identify what it is. It is useful when listening to the radio when the song isn't listed or when you are shopping and a song comes on that you like. I have tried Shazam and musiXmatch. I found musiXmatch is best for lyrics, but not very good at identifying songs. I also found SoundHound seemed to have more songs that Shazam in its database.

I also found that SoundHound was better at identifying songs when I sang or hummed them, if the song was no longer on or I remember it later. Personally, I also found Shazam's layout a little disorienting.

One of the features I really like, aside from the main one, is that it saves your searches. So, if I hear a song when I am out that I like but can't use or connect to the internet, it saves so that I can search later. Which is really useful, because I often worry about going over on Data charges.

After finding the song it gives you the option to search on iTunes. So, you can buy it after you find it. I have used this to find a lot of songs I really enjoyed.

The most recent songs I used it to find are: Rewind by Neverest, 503 by Hans Zimmer, Dark Horse by Katy Perry, and Dream on the Dance floor by Basshunter.

I also use the app to see lyrics for songs. This is a feature of other apps as well, but I find SoundHound has a lot. (Or at least it did, since the last update it doesn't seem to have as much.)

I would recommend the app to those who find music out or on the radio they like. It is easier than writing down lyrics to search up later. Even if you don't, it is free and you never know when you might need it.

So, I recommend you check it out on the iTunes store, or the Android store (I assume the apps are the same).

Zoobe

So Zoobe is a pretty interesting and very popular app. People who frequent Tumblr have probably seen things from it before. Basically, what it is, is an app that provides people with minimalistic animations of characters that you provide a voice for. The lips move sort of in time and then you complete them and you have your own video. 

Often, they are used to make rant videos. People will complain about something and then post it on Tumblr or YouTube. It allows them the anonymity of not showing there face and tends to add some humor because it allows you to complain about serious situations through a bunny or shark as opposed to a person. 

There are other uses, people make funny videos or say 'I love you'. There are videos of people using an animated Smurf to ask their loved one to pick up certain kinds of cereal at the grocery store.

I find it a strange app, but amusing. However, I do understand some of the surrounding frustration that real animators have that their own work isn't getting as many views as some of these videos that were created by the poster with little to no effort.  

I'd recommend it to anyone who can find a use for it. I have some sample videos below. 

iStudiez Pro

I love this app. I really do. I mean, on Graduation Day if I am asked to give thanks, this would be the first thing I thanked.

So, what is this fabulous app? Essentially, a planner. You know, the kind you used in school to write down your homework. Except it is so much better than that. There are a lot of different features, but let me tell you a couple of the one's I've found most useful.

The most useful has been the schedule/calendar. I put in all my classes and it looks like this. (This isn't my phone, but an image I found.)

So, you see, it says what classes on a particular day, as well as the assignments for the class, the professor, the location, and the time. But then in calendar view you can quickly see when things are. What's even cooler, it pulls from your phone calendar, so if I have a Doctor's appointment it will show up on the iStudiez calendar.

It sends you a notification 15 minutes before class starts, as a reminder, which has been helpful. It is really helpful having easy access to class rooms.

But that is just one useful component.

It also has a section for instructors. This allows you to have a sort of separate phone book for all your TAs, instructors, and Professors.

I love this because it is easier than trying to track down the syllabus if I want office hours, and sometimes the TAs don't have an official syllabus, they write it on the board during the first tutorial and that's it. That's all you get. And if you lose the piece of paper you wrote it on, switch tutorials, can't read your writing, were absent, or didn't think to write it down at the time you are in trouble. 

The third, and last feature, I will talk about is the assignments feature. 

It lets you put in the assignment information, what course it is, if you have partners and who they are, it lets you set a priority, and set up a reminder of anywhere between a week or a few hours before. It then keeps them all in a list and lets you sort by date, class, or priority. And once you complete it, you select it and it saves it but takes it off the list. 

Also a week before something is due, no matter the priority or reminder date, a little number will appear in the corner of the app just as a subtle reminder. 

I have taken online classes and gotten in trouble, because I lost track of dates and then had to rush or missed something. I have forgotten about small assignments. I have lost track of professor information. I am kind of scatter-brained and this app keeps that scatter in line. 

I would definitely recommend this app to ALL students of EVERY grade. It is really useful as an University student, but I feel like there are features that are here that will help students of every grade. Who knows, there might even be features that will help non-students as well. 

Candy Crush: iPhone App

I have joined the madness. I used to hear people talking about this game all the time and, eventually, I just had to find out what it is. It is a game. An annoying, frustrating, fun, repulsive, entertaining, addictive game.

It doesn't even seem like it would be that complicated either. You are just trying to line up three colors in a row. That's it. That is all you have to do. Except you have to get a certain number. And you only have so many moves. And there are time limits for some. And there are score minimums for some. And if you connect with Facebook you're competing with your friends. Not to mention the jellies and weird shaped boards.

It reminds me of Candyland. That is what the board looks like to me, at least. Except, I don't remember Candyland ever making me want to throw my phone out the window. This game has made me feel like that. Honestly, I feel like it should have a horror theme. The candy down plays the menacing nature that is held with in the games coding. It makes you lower your guard. You assume it is harmless. But it isn't.

I've never played flappy bird or angry bird, because I've always worried that I would be really stressed one day and one 'game over' too many would lead to a broken phone or a busted window.

But, I think if I can handle this game, I can handle those.

I like that the game involves some strategy, but a lot of it is luck. It is like cards. Yes, you need to have some strategy and you have to know the game, but all the card prowess in the world won't guarantee a win if you are running low on luck.

I like that there isn't a time limit on a lot of the levels. You can be in the middle of a level, but then just put your phone away if you need to without worrying about dying or losing your place.

Also, the games are short. They don't usually take more than minute so they are good for waiting for the bus or waiting while the tea is steeping (which were the times I intended to play before the intense desire to beat the game and the annoyingly perky person saying I failed to compete the level again took over).

So, I would recommend it to those who like short games that aren't so enthralling you won't automatically be sucked in just by playing. But, warn those that get easily frustrated to stay away.