Ask MetaFilter questions tagged with apps

Must have iPhone apps?

WinnipegDragon — Sat, 12 Dec 2009 18:39:05 -0800

I'm joining the iPhone crowd. What are your must-have apps and games? I just picked up my 16GB iPhone 3GS. Being in Canada our data plans suck, so I only have unlimited data for two months, so I'd like to get my apps sorted out in that time. 1GB/mo after that only.

So what apps should I get?

(p.s. If I configure my iPhone to use my WiFi, will it use that instead of the 3G when possible, thus preserving my 1GB of data?)

Where can I find reviews of Android Market apps?

GamblingBlues — Tue, 17 Nov 2009 06:33:48 -0800

What are the best sites out there to stay abreast of new apps in the Android Market? I just picked up a new Android phone, and am looking to add a site or two to my RSS reader that tracks new apps in the Android Market. What are the reliable, informative, dispassionate sites I should be following?

Private, self-hosted alternative to Brightkite?

merlinmann — Sun, 01 Nov 2009 14:39:48 -0800

Looking for a self-hosted, private alternative to Brightkite for sharing family stuff. My wife and I (mis)-use Brightkite as a two-person, location-aware version of Twitter. All our posts are private (we two are one another's only "friends"), and it's turned out to be a really handy way to let each other know where we are, indicate when we're on our way home, and even to post little snapshots of our daughter to each other through the day. Really fun and useful.

Although, we admittedly use the app "anti-socially," always trying make sure everything stays as private as it can, obviously it's an uphill battle with an app that's designed to broadcast lots of personal information to large groups of people.

Any suggestions for a more private alternative to Brightkite? Preferably something Open Source and self-hosted where we own and control as much of the data as possible. Not against API stuff interacting with Fire Eagle or what have you; as long as we maintain control over keeping everything as private as you'd want a note on your own fridge to be. Do-able?

Arsenal Streaming Audio Options

boombot — Thu, 29 Oct 2009 11:53:51 -0800

What's the best way for me, in the U.S., using 3G, not wi-fi, to stream audio of Arsenal games to my iPhone?

Google forms auto-notification when updated

jmd82 — Fri, 23 Oct 2009 07:36:51 -0800

Looking for a way to have Google forms/spreadsheet send an e-mail notification when a form has been filled out. We're thinking about using Google Forms to collect data from stakeholders. These forms would be updated at random intervals, completely unknown to those who needs the data. However, far as I can tell, there's no easy way to notify the form's owner that an update has been made. Anyone know of a way to make this happen? Bonus points for highlighting new responses.
--Yes, I know people can just manually check the spreadsheet for updates, but that doesn't always work out very well.

Scanner Pro v. DocScanner iphone apps?

applemeat — Sun, 18 Oct 2009 17:56:05 -0800

iPhonefilter: What's a good iPhone app for document scanning? Most often, I'll be scanning single page documents and single page graphics with or without text. I'll want to email the images as PDFs. My chief objectives are: 1) ease of use (and ease of directly emailing the scan from the app, if possible) and 2) visual clarity. Cost of the app is not a concern. Any advice from the hivemind would be appreciated!

Is there an app for that?

reformedjerk — Fri, 16 Oct 2009 09:25:09 -0800

I'm looking for a good New York City iPhone app for tourists. I'm heading to New York this weekend and I'd like to use my iPhone to get around, but there's a couple of caveats. I'm from Toronto, and even with my US Data Roaming add-on, I'll be paying a buck for every Mb. Consequently, I'd like to keep Google Maps usage as low as possible. Is there an app that has a nice zoomable map of Manhattan and a GPS location function? Ideally, I could get subway maps too, but I'm not adverse to getting a separate app for that.

If others have ways of caching Google Maps, that would be great too. I've not jailbroken the phone, and don't really intend too, but if there's something earth shatteringly good, I'd be willing to consider it.

Is there an Instapaper for feed aggregation?

Orchestra — Mon, 12 Oct 2009 05:26:14 -0800

I'm looking for a very simple rss updater to replace Rososo. Any suggestions? It looks like my rss updater of choice, Rososo, might be permanently out of order. This bums me out as it's just about the perfect fit for my needs and aesthetic preferences. Much like Instapaper, another can't-do-without favourite, it has a zen-like vibe of doing one thing really well and looking as simple as possible while doing it.

What I need is a robust (little downtime) and easy-to-use service for keeping an eye on my twenty or so favourite blogs and other sites. I like to read my articles on-site, not through a reader interface, so I'm therefore not looking for Google Reader, I think. Firefox extensions and the like are out as I often use different computers and browsers throughout the day.

Also, I want to be able to follow any feed and not just those that are already submitted to the service (like Bloglovin or Bloglines). Some of my feeds belong to sites written in languages other than English and others I'm just not comfortable adding to a public index (personal Livejournals and the like).

Is there anything out there for me?

Keeping the kids happy while the adults chat

bonsai forest — Mon, 05 Oct 2009 08:14:03 -0800

What are some iPhone apps to amuse kids ages 4 - 8? I have the star wars "light saber" app and a mini piano app, and those have been big hits, but they are getting old now.

iphone apps not opening

dearleader — Mon, 28 Sep 2009 07:47:35 -0800

Has anyone had this iPhone issue: Upon syncing with the computer, apps will subsequently not open. Weirdly, deleting an app (e.g. the NY Times) and then reinstalling it somehow makes all the other apps work again. But this takes time and I can't imagine this is how it's supposed to work. Is there a setting or some such that needs to be changed? Thanks for any tips...

How resistant are consumers to downloading stuff?

beagle — Mon, 28 Sep 2009 07:41:01 -0800

I am looking for recent survey results or other data points on consumer resistance to, or acceptance of, downloading browser add-ons and other downloaded apps. In other words, to what extent is the download step itself a barrier to consumers acquiring add-ons and apps, because of perceived risks like viruses and privacy issues. Extra points for data that sorts this out across age and other demographic groups.

Do Androids Dream of Freely Available Apps?

micklaw — Mon, 14 Sep 2009 17:09:37 -0800

AndroidPhoneFilter: Help me access Android apps from my new HTC that I purchased from ebay. Got my Android phone from ebay (Hong Kong) and I can't seem to access the mobile version of the Android Market from the phone - only the full browser version.

The phone is working ok with my old SIM card, I can hook into the WiFi network at home and surf the webs ok but there is no Android Market app on the phone.

So, my question, how can I get the Android Market app and if I can't (cause I didn't buy the phone through a local retailer) where can I go for some useful Android apps that are not on the Android Market.

Help!

PS I'm in Australia and on Vodafone (about to change to TPG) if that is useful at all.

Looking for the best shopping/recipe app with an iMac interface

You Should See the Other Guy — Fri, 11 Sep 2009 07:13:06 -0800

I love the iPhone app GroceryZen, which is a shopping checklist app with a built in recipe thingy. However, I'm tired of waiting for them to make my recipes editable on my iMac. Are there any apps I can use that function similarly that have, right now, this feature? Or, conversely, any good cooking apps for the iMac that have an iPhone app add on? Basically, I want an interface on the iMac that lets me enter ingredients and quantities that I can export to the iPhone and then when out click a button ("I want to make this tonight!") that adds all the ingredients to my shopping list.

What are your top 5 (Google) Android Apps?

ekpyrotic — Sun, 30 Aug 2009 16:24:30 -0800

What are your top 5 Android Apps? So, I decided to buck the trend a buy an Android device (HTC Magic).

With Metafilter being v. iPhone-centric I thought I'd bring something different to the table.

My answer (so far):

1. last.fm (to be replaced by Spotify when it's launched)
2. Astrid (gtd software)
3. TasKiller (task manager)
4. ShopSavvy (barcode product search)
5. Google Maps

What percentage of iPhone apps are free or almost free?

rev- — Fri, 14 Aug 2009 05:23:42 -0800

How many apps does iTunes sell? What percentage are free or under 99 cents? Where can I get iPhone app numbers? I have a guy who is trying to sell our organization on $50,000 worth of development on an iPhone, using some crazy numbers as to how much we stand to make. This guy has made some crazy claims, like that less than 20% of all iPhone apps are free or under a dollar. I can't buy that. Especially if you consider how many more free apps are downloaded versus paid apps.

Anyway, I'm having a hard time finding places that will show any kinds of numbers about how many apps iTunes has, the price distribution, numbers of apps downloaded, etc. Can anyone point out some good sources for me?

Thanks!

What iPhone apps are best to track my fitness prgress as I get back into shape?

chinese_fashion — Mon, 27 Jul 2009 14:12:06 -0800

What iPhone apps can I use to track and manage my fitness progress? I had surgery a few months ago, and am not ready to re-enter the gym. I am WAY out of shape, gained about 10 pounds. I go to a Muay Thai/Kickboxing gym, and have been given the all-clear from doctors and trainers alike to start working out there again.

I've also just gotten a new iPhone and would like to use an app or something to track my weight, diet, and workouts to move constructively towards getting fit. I feel like if I can see some incremental goals there, I'll stop focusing on feeling fat/out of breath all the time.

What apps do you recommend? I'm susceptible to "feature exhaustion," so simpler is better.

And any tips for losing weight and getting back on the horse after a long, medically-induced layoff are greatly appreciated as well.

Thanks!

Moving to a new city - what iPhone apps will help me get situated?

Gideon — Sat, 18 Jul 2009 00:26:10 -0800

I'm moving to a mid-sized midwest city that has a decent cultural life. I'd like to be able to jump into life there - what iPhone apps can help me with this? Finding new restaurants, coffee shops, nice little stores, etc... I never paid attention to those sorts of apps before because I know where I live now inside and out. UrbanSpoon is obvious enough.. but what other apps really help you get to know an area and the cool places there.

Looking for an iPhone GTD app, with a small twist

edmz — Mon, 06 Jul 2009 10:03:13 -0800

Help me find a todo app (preferably a GTD one) for the iPhone that meets my very particular(?) needs. First of all, maybe there are websites that already have this functionality but I don't have a data plan for the iPhone and I can't get one since they are too expensive in my country.

Now, I currently use the Things app for the iPhone, but it lacks the 3 things that I need the most:

* timestamps: I would like to know when I added a task
* completion notes: I would like to type a note when closing a task, so that I can tell what I did to accomplish it
* optionally, a better log: I would like to add events to the log, thus adding more context to the tasks i just finished.

See, sometimes I use Things to track stuff I lend or borrow. For example, if I add a task saying that I need to give Peter a book back. Things will only allow me to mark that task as done.

What I would like is for an App to be able to show me when I added a specific task. Also, when I finish a task I should be able to type "I gave Peter the book back when we met for coffee". Optionally, I should be able to add an entry to the task log saying "I spent 10 dollars in the coffee shop".

I have tried ToodleDo, Task Pro and Todo, and none of these apps, which are the most popular, seem to fit the bill.

Do you have any recommendations?

Best iPhone flashcard app for inputting own cards?

ewiley28 — Wed, 01 Jul 2009 10:31:50 -0800

I am looking for a flashcard app for the iPhone, but there are a dozen options and not sufficient reviews or screenshots to really pick one, so hoping someone has experience. I am wanting a program where I can input my own cards (on a full computer, not just from the phone), one that allows creation of lists and has some sort of randomization/memorization scheme. Bonus if it allows cards to have audio, video or pictures in addition to just sound. I am fine with the cost of any of the apps and am not considering that a factor. Detailed parameters of what I'm looking for below. Parameters I'm looking for:
1. Have no problem spending on the app if it's good. Price seems doable on any of the ones I saw in the store.
2. Want a way to input the cards on the big computer, not just the phone. Bonus if I can input a video or audio or picture rather than just text
3. Really want a way to put cards into lists. Perhaps tagging them would work? But way to quickly grab a "playlist" of cards that allows individual cards to appear on multiple lists.
4. Some sort of way to indicate when I answer a card whether I was confident or not that affects its likelihood of appearing again. Or a "memorization scheme", just something other than all of them with equal likelihood.
5. Related, definitely want randomization.
6. I will be inputting my own card sets exclusively. Size of the library of decks available for download is thus not a factor.

So, which app is my best bet?

Feed my iPhone

doift — Mon, 29 Jun 2009 11:48:32 -0800

A desktop, a laptop, an external hard drive, an iPhone, and me. How should I sync my iPhone? I've got a 16GB iPhone arriving tomorrow, my first one. Now I need to figure out what to do with it. Our household consists of an iMac that's primarily my husband's and a MacBook that's primarily mine. I'd prefer to manage music, apps, etc. on my laptop. However, the external hard drive that houses all our music is usually connected to the desktop, and it would be impractical to switch it back and forth between the two computers. With my old iPod, which after tomorrow will be my husband's iPod, I didn't have a problem just syncing it with the desktop, but apps and calendars and contacts complicate matters and I'd rather use my own machine.

I'm sure there a few different ways to do this. The best strategy I've been able to come up with is to get a $30 16GB USB drive and point iTunes on my laptop to the USB drive, so apps and podcasts save there, and periodically swap out the music. That seems sort of clunky. I can access the iTunes library on the laptop over our wireless network, but that doesn't help with syncing, right?

What other options should I consider?

Hit me up with apps

hiteleven — Mon, 22 Jun 2009 14:44:03 -0800

What are you favourite iPhone/iPod Touch apps? I'm particularly interested in those that are free or cheap. I finally broke down and upgraded my iPod Touch OS. Finally, I can download apps.

What I'm looking for now are recommendations for both useful and fun apps, particularly if they are free or low cost. I could really go in any direction here, but my most pressing need at the moment is a good .pdf reader. The few that I've tried seem to wipe out if the file size creeps over a few hundred KB.

I am a grad student, so anything that would help me organize my notes/life would be greatly welcomed. But really, if you really like a certain app of any sort, please let me know.

iPhone couple apps?

k7lim — Sat, 20 Jun 2009 11:07:04 -0800

What are some great iPhone apps for couples? My girlfriend and I both have iPhones. I just got the new model, cashing in a gift certificate she got me.

What are some apps that are good/useful for couples? Grocery store apps that sync our lists? Apps that help us schedule dates in our busy schedules?

So far, as a new iPhone user, I'm quite disappointed with the lack of imaginitive apps for small groups of people.

I mean, where's the obvious "find your friend in the crowd" (within GPS resolution constraints) that these phones should have by now?

Not particularly looking for games, but if you think a multiplayer game would be good for a couple, that would be welcome.

Prefer free apps, but am willing to pay inside of $10 for really well-done stuff.

Email Switcheroo

drjimmy11 — Wed, 29 Apr 2009 15:57:25 -0800

What do I need to be aware of when switching a client from ISp-provided email to Google-provided email? I am in the process of re-doing a website for a client. They also want to change hosts, so I'm building the site on the new host, and when the time comes I'll just switch the domain over.

Rather than get email through the new host, we decided to go with Google Apps Standard Edition (http://www.google.com/apps/intl/en/group/index.html).

I'm thinking it will go like this:
1) I'll ask everyone who has an account to make sure they have downloaded all messages onto their hard drives.
2) I'll set up the account on Google and give it access to the domain. I'll re-create all the user accounts, and tell them how to set up their clients to access their new email.

My questions are:
1) Will there be any "outage" or possibility of missed messages, during the time I will be making the switch? The old ISP account will still be active, but I assume once I give Google access to the domain, no mail will arrive to clients set up to download messages from the ISP? Is there any way to forward or anything?

2) Are any of my assumptions bad, or are there any other pitfalls I should watch out for in this process?

thanks!

Creating Apps

CollectiveMind — Mon, 27 Apr 2009 15:37:31 -0800

I want to turn two ideas into downloadable programs for the Android/G1 Market. Both are in a usable form right now. One is a searchable calendar written in Javascript. The other is a searchable database on an Excel spreadsheet. I know nothing about programming. And after reading previous posts about creating anything for the IPhone, OMG, just the terminology itself is daunting; ObjC, C++, OOP, Keychain ...

I want to do this, but how can I get it done for Android? And if I want to do anything for the IPhone, would finding somebody to do it be a more expedient choice than teaching myself? I mean, what's the difference between the two in terms of exposure anyway?

How can I pin certain windows above others on OSX?

mister barnacles — Tue, 14 Apr 2009 07:58:23 -0800

I couldn't live without FileBox Extender when doing freelance work on my home PC's but have to use a Mac at the day job. Are there any (free) equivalents on OS X that will allow me to "pin" some windows above others? Weeks of Googling have failed me in finding an equivalent program.