Android

App Name: Hipster
Price: free

The Android faithful, such as myself, have been waiting for the now famous iOS app Instagram to release for Android.  While Instagram hasn’t yet come to Android, Hipster is here to sate your retro photo sharing needs.  Hipster basically allows you to take a photo (from the camera or gallery) and apply a filter, text, and location data to it that turns it into one of several “postcards”.  After applying filters and picking  a locale you can use Hipster to upload and post your photo to Hipster’s network, Facebook, Twitter, Flickr, and even have it check you in on Foursquare.  For a free app that seamlessly connects to so many networks, Hipster does it’s job and does it extremely well.  So while Hipster does suffer from an unfortunate name, it is a must have app for Android photographers.

PS. Add me on Hipster by clicking this. http://www.hipster.com/people/jesse-114

iOS

App name: Hatchi
Price: $0.99

Let me start this review with a question.  Do you remember a little toy that was all the rage at one time called “Tamagotchi”? Tamagotchi were a small electronic toy with a LCD screen that let you care for, play with, and grow a digital pet; Hatchi is just that.  Using the extremely simple interface, you keep your Hatchi fed, bathed, entertained, educated, and healthy.  As the game progresses your Hatchi will grow and change into different creatures.  Hatchis can take a lot of neglect (trust me, with my schedule I’ve killed a few), but don’t let them go too long without the basics or you will come back to a Hatchi who has X’s in it’s eyes.  If you are like me and loved Tamagotchis when you were young, Hatchi is a blast from the past that is fun to kill time with.  If you don’t like wasting time or don’t have time to waste, Hatchi is probably not for you.  Enjoy or don’t enjoy; its your call.

Android

Groove Ip, $4.99

There are all kinds of “internet calling” apps such as Skype, Gtalk, Tango, and others yet Groove Ip is what I would call the most useful and easy to use.  Groove Ip uses your Google Voice account, which you can get for free, to make calls using your device’s data connection and not your minutes.  Also, by using a data connection only, Groove Ip makes it possible for devices without a cellular radio (tablets) to make full calls from your Google Voice number.  After you’ve downloaded Groove Ip, simply sign in using your Google Voice credentials and you’re ready to make some free calls.  Screenshots below.

iOS

Stunt Biker, $0.99

In a previous App-ahoics I reviewed a game called Line Runner and from the same developer I bring you Stunt Biker.  Simple yet addictive, Stunt Biker is a side scrolling stunt game.  Tilt your device left and right to lean forward and backward, touch the left side of the screen to brake and the right to speed up, that’s the controls (simple right).  With over 20 tracks, 16 downloadable tracks, and multiplayer modes, Stunt Biker will keep you interested well past its 99 cent price tag.

Android

Pocket Casts, $2.99

I’ve covered podcast listening apps in previous app-aholics articles, but I’ve stumbled upon one that rivals all of them.  Pocket Casts is like all of the other podcast apps on the market when it comes to audio; it lets you subscribe, download, and listen.  Pocket Casts really shines when it comes to video, which is something that most podcast apps fall short on.  Simple and to the point Pocket Casts lets you download podcasts, audio and video, equally.  If you’re a podcast fan (and with networks like the 8 Days a Geek Network who wouldn’t be) Pocket Casts is well worth the $2.99 price of entry.

(Screenshots Below)

iOS

FourTrack, $9.99

I know what you’re thinking, “what the heck, this is one of the most expensive apps that have ever made it into App-aholics.”  Why, yes it is, but it is well worth its price for anyone who needs this type of app.  FourTrack allows you to record anything you want and layer it, mix it, and export it for everyone else’s listening pleasure.  This app is great for musicians who need to lay down song ideas in a multitrack format on the road and have access to a slew of effects to help shape their sound.  So yes, FourTrack is $9.99, but for anyone who would use an app like this they know that a stand-alone piece of equipment would cost quite a bit more and not give you as many features.

(Screenshots Below)

So here we are; this is the first time that Android and iOS apps have met at the altar of app-titude and both passed out at the same time.  Roughly translated that means this is the norm from now on; Apple App-aholics and Android App-aholics have been combined to bring you a one stop shop for Android app fiends as well as iOS app fiends.

Android

Google Goggles, Free

Our app for this week is a good ‘ole Google app.  Google Goggles (say that ten times fast) was released for Android devices quite awhile ago, however, it tends to get better and better each time I open it up.  Here is what you can get out of it.

Every once in a great while I find myself looking at a piece of art, a company logo, or some text that I want to lookup on Google, but frankly with all of my fame and million dollar business deals I just don’t have the time to type in all those words.  Goggles saves me from this tedious typing task by letting me take a picture of my subject and then scanning it for photos and text.  Goggles will do a Google search usin the text, look for pictures that match, and even let you add some text to your contacts.

If you find yourself in a foreign country and can’t read the language Goggles will save the day.  Goggles can scan a sign or anything else containing text and translate it using Google Translate.

Overall Goggles is a great free app that will come in handy the next time you’re in a rush and just need to search for information about something you saw on a sign at the side of the road.

(Sreenshots in the main gallery below)

iOS

Smule Magic Guitar, Free

Music games are a dime a dozen ever since Guitar Hero, but on the iOS platform there is one company that does music right and that company is Smule.

Smule’s Magic Guitar is a game where you select a song and use the touch screen of your device to play the notes of that song (in a simplified manner of course).  The better you play the more points you get, the more points you get the more songs you can get; you can even let people online listen to you play.  While it’s quite a simple game at its heart, Smule’s Magic Guitar will hook you and keep you playing just because it’s so easy to do.

Overall, Magic Guitar is a fun little game to pass a couple of minutes away, just don’t end up playing air guitar in the doctor’s office.

App Name: Simple Physics
Price: $0.99

I’m a big fan of physics based game play so it’s no surprise that I jumped on a game with the name “Simple Physics”.  In Simple Physics you are given a task (the screenshots show building a submarine that can make it 300 feet below water) and you have to use lines that represent building materials to complete that task.  Some of the puzzles ask you to build simple things like a tree house that can hold three kids that are jumping while others ask you to build a Ferris wheel that can make several revolutions all the while you get to watch the stresses that your design in under.  There is a lot of thought that goes into solving one of these puzzles (remember that the outer most parts of a Ferris wheel get “heavier” as the wheel turns faster) so it really can keep you brain going.  You are given a budget to adhere to so you will nee to solve the puzzles with as few lines as possible.

Simple Physics is well worth the $0.99 if you are up to a game that challenges you to make better designs using the fewest materials possible.

App Name: Onlive
Price: Free

There are plenty of games on Android, but most of them are the same old thing over and over again.  What if you could play high end computer games on your Android Tablet or Phone?  Onlive will help you with this.  Trust me.

Onlive is a service that has been around for a little while, but never really took hold.  I am making a mission of mine to help this service get the press it deserves.  Think of Onlive like a Netflix streaming for games.  One of the biggest problems with PC gaming is that the machines that you have to buy in order to make the games look good enough are extremely expensive and go out of date very quickly and have to be updated.  Onlive saves you the trouble of having a great PC and having to upgrade every time a new game comes out (as well as saving you from installing and troubleshooting) by doing all of the hard computer work for you.  Onlive’s servers crunch the numbers and work out the graphics and then stream them to your device (PC, MAC, Android, and soon IOS) like a high def movie, so there is no downloading or installing at all and on my 12Mbps connection I was playing Batman: Arkham City in 30 seconds with amazing graphics.  The account is free and most games have a 3o minute free trial, but you can also hop right in with 3 to 5 day rentals, unlimited play (buying the game and playing as long as you want), and PlayPacks which are a pack of 120+ games that you can play as much as you want for $9.99 a month.

Onlive also offers a console for your TV and a wireless universal controller that works with computers, the Onlive console, and portable devices alike in their online store.  Check it out and sign up for a free account at www.onlive.com.

App Name: Line Runner
Price: Free

Line Runner is a simple game of avoidance.  The level travels very quickly from right to left and your character stays in one spot.  Tap one side of the screen to jump and the other to roll; sounds simple doesn’t it?  Let me tell you that Line Runner is responsible for many moments of pure rage for me due to the difficulty that it creates as the level gets harder and harder to navigate.  You get more points the farther you get so stretch your thumbs and get ready for your marathon Line Runner session.  You will start just wanting to play a level, but trust me when I say that this game will anger you into wanting to play more just so that you can win.

Overall Line Runner is a pretty simple game, but for free it supplies more than enough entertainment to hold you over while you’re waiting in line or waiting for your food to be delivered.  Check it out; what have you got to loose but time?

App Name: Game Dev Story
Price: $2.50

Game Dev Story reminds me of those “Tycoon” games that were all the rage a few years ago.  You start a game development studio with a very small amount of money, four employees, and a secretary; then you start working.  As you progress through the game you get to release games for new console (while having to deal with thier licensing fees), complete contracts for extra cash, hire/fire employees, and even create your own game console.

The challenge of the game comes from the constant stream of things you need to pay for as well as the choices you make in game type and which employee does what part of the work.  If you put two genres together that don’t mesh then your game may flop and cause you to have to take contracts to get enough money to pay your employees.  You also need to think about training your employees and advertising your products.  Overall it can get a little hairy when the money and your employees’ energy start to run dry.

Game Dev Story is hours of fun and I found myself playing it every chance I got for an hour or so (not many cell phone games do that to me).  If you’re not sure about spending the $2.50 (believe me it’s worth it) then you can pickup a lite version of the game for free, but it only lets you play 2 of the regular game’s 20 years (it gets a lot more fun after about 5 years).

App Name: Stachematic
Usage: Funny Camera
Price: Free

Funny cameras are; well, funny.  In honor of our Senior Editor Brandon C. Williams I’ve picked a funny camera that will add effects to your pictures and add a mustache to any person in the photo.  Easy and to the point, Stachematic lets you take the photo, adds a stache to you and your friends, adds a filter, and lets you share the final result on one of many social networks.

Get it, try it.  Stachematic is free and fun.

Read it Later

 App Name: Read it Later
Usage: Web page caching app
Price: $2.99 pro (Free version available)

Have you ever been reading a web page and wanted to save it for later without junking up your bookmarks folder?  Read it Later will allow you to mark any web page and the app will download the page (along with pictures) so you can “read it later” (get it?).  For things like online shopping Read it Later will help you to make a cached list that you can view whenever you need to.  News stories are a given in the app so no worries there.

FEATURES INCLUDE:
* View content online or offline (articles only)
* Automatically syncs queue across all your devices
* Formats articles for best viewing for your device — keeps images, videos
* Customize text, font, alignment and night time mode to make reading easy
* Share content you like to any other installed Android apps like Evernote, Twitter, and Facebook
* And Lots more!

EXCLUSIVE PRO FEATURES
* View your entire list (no limits)
* Easily search, sort, tag and archive content in queue
* Scroll with the volume rocker
* Rotation lock

With extremely easy setup and a free version to try Read it Later will help you manage your web pages a no brainer.

App Name: MouthOff
Usage: Sound activated animation
Price: $0.99 (Free version with one mouth)

If you have young children and/or a baby this app is hours of entertainment for you and them.  MouthOff puts an animated mouth on the screen of your iOS device and moves the lips, tongue and teeth along with any sounds your microphone picks up (like your voice).  Some of the mouths are creepy and I would suggest gauging your child’s reaction before jumping right in front of them with a burlap robe covered in lamb’s blood and MouthOff in front of your face to “give them a jolt”.

App name: Shopper
Usage: Price hunting and shopping
Price: Free

The holidays are sneaking up behind us like a ninja to run us through with their sword of family time and gift giving.  During this time you might find yourself asking, “what’s the easiest way for me to comparison shop this year?”

Look no further than Google Shopper.  This app will not only let you search for an item and return online prices for you, but it will also display advertised prices from stores in your area.  By giving you a list of stores carrying your item in several different sorting orders, Shopper makes planning any shopping trips a little easier (I for one shop online so that I don’t have to deal with holiday shoppers so I love being able to plan a quick trip when I do go out).  Shopper also has a coupon section for deals and discounts to places around you.

App Name: Comixology
Usage: Comic book reader and store
Price: Free

The iPad and even the iPhone and iPod are great devices to read digital comics on, but where can you get all of the comics that you want to read?

Comisxology is not only a great comic book reader, but it’s also a great comic book store.  Comics come out on the Comixology store the same day they go to print so you won’t miss any time when you buy them in digital format.  One of favorite parts of the store is the free section because it can open you up to a wealth of new material without costing you a dime.  Prices on the store vary, with comics like the New 52 priced around $3 and some going up around $8 (these are usually sets).  The app is free and the store has a free comics section so you really don’t have many reasons not to pick this one up.

App name: SMS backup & Restore
Usage: makes a backup of your SMSs on your SD card
Price: free

Simple app this week. For those of us who tend to use our text and
email inboxes as to do lists, we would be lost if those inboxes ever
got deleted. I switch Roms a lot on my EVO and as such I am always
coming across this problem. In steps SMS Backup & Restore. SMS B&R
scans your text messages (it won’t backup MMS) and save them in a file
on your SD card (you can copy the file to a computer for extra
security) if a malfunction ever happens the app will be able to use
that file to put your texts right back where they belong.

SMS Backup & Restore will also allow you to schedule backups to run
automatically for any of you who don’t trust yourselves to run the
app.  A great free app for anyone who frequently switches Roms or
really needs to keep a copy of their texts, SMS Backup & Restore lives
up to its name.

App Name: Tweetspeaker
Usage: Reads your tweets to you
Price: $1.99

Tweetspeaker does exactly what it says it does.  After you sign into Twitter using the app, Tweetspeaker will download your twitter timeline and start reading it to you.  The voice is very robotic, but very understandable. It’s pretty nice to update your twitter stream and hear it read to you while you’re on your way to work.  The app is pretty straight-forward and doesn’t take a lot of setup.  If  you like to hear the twitter news, but don’t always have time to sit and read twitter, this app will fill the void for you.  I would have like this app a little more for $0.99, but even at $1.99 if you are going to use it then it’s worth it.

App Name: Zombiebooth
Usage: Fun photo booth
Price: Free

Short and simple, Zombiebooth takes a picture of you or another person and turns it into an animated, interactive zombie picture.  I downloaded this on a whim and really had some fun with it.  The animation is really good and the sound effects are cool.  Go to the Android app store and try this free app.

Sorry if this review was short, but frankly the app itself is pretty simple.

Google has seen fit to bless us with yet another beautiful device for us to use.  In Hong Kong Google has just announced the Samsung Galaxy Nexus and gave us a deeper look at Android 4.0 (ice cream sandwich).

Here are some of the finer points:

Galaxy Nexus
- 1.2GHz dual core cpu
- 4.65-inch Super AMOLED screen
- NFC
- Barometer
- and all the regular Android goodies

Android 4.0
- Face Recognition lock screen
- Software buttons (no buttons on the phone)
- Built-in ability to take screenshots
- WebOS-like task manager
- Customizable lower app bar
- Updated Gmail client
- Chrome tabbed browsing
- Zero shutter lag (a picture every second)
- And numerous little tweaks

Overall I have to say that this phone and Android 4.0 really makes me love my move from iOS to Android.  We don’t know what US networks this phone will be on yet but I hope that it comes to mine.  Do any of you think that this is a good answer to the iPhone 4S?

App Name: Business Calendar
Usage: Calendar replacement for Android
Price: Free ($4.99 ad-free)

There are countless calendar apps on the market so finding one that fits your needs might seem impossible.  I recently had this issue and with a lot of research and a little patience I stumbled across Business Calendar.

Business Calendar is a simple and easy to use calendar that works as well by itself as it does syncing to your Google calendars.  I have about 5 Google calendars that I need access to at all times and the more of them I can see at once the better (I am horrible at remembering dates and times).  Business Calendar has a viewing mode that I simply fell in love with.  All of your calendars are assigned a different color and then bars are shown to you on a calendar so that you can tell what time your wife has something to do on Wednesday or if you can schedule a business lunch on Friday between your realestate agent and your Senior Editor.  As a perk, Business Calendar also has a wonderfully functional widget.  Here are some screens of Business Calendar in action:

App Name: The Heist
Usage: Puzzle Game
Price: $2.99

iTunes Link Here

The iOS platform is host to many, many games and The Heist is but one of those many.  If you like puzzles then The Heist is right up your alley.

The Heist is a grouping of several different types of puzzles in several different difficulty levels that are brought together as a congruent game with a story.  You are a thief trying to disarm the security on a safe and these puzzles are your only way in.  I do wish that the game weren’t $2.99, however, if you like the types of puzzles The Heist brings then it should be worth it.  There are two types of slide puzzles, one sudoku clone, and a block moving puzzle that will aggravate you to “controller twitsting” levels.  Here are some screens for you to gaze upon:

App Name: Dead Raid
Usage: First person zombie shooter
Price: Free

iTunes Link

Dead raid is one of those rare games that come along that truly make you love the developer.  The devs of this game not only added to Apple’s extensive library of free apps, but they added a great game to it as well.

Dead raid is a first person shooter with either touch or gyro (this is the cool one) controls.  In the game your character stays in one place and shoots 360 degrees around him or her.  Zombies pop up around you and, with your trusty pistol, you line up a head shot and let the gore ensue.  The gyroscopic controls that are available if your iOS device supports it are great letting you turn your whole body to line up your sights and take your shot (yes, you do look like a moron doing this in public, but you won’t care).

With changeable level backgrounds and music Dead Raid is the best zombie hunting time you can have on the iOS platform for free.