QWiz.Me! - Train with a Wiz - Android App Review

QWiz.Me! - Train with a Wiz by Meta4 Solutions - Android App Review    

It seems our Android smartphones can help every facet of our lives, from the way we communicate, the way we play or enjoy our selves by watching videos or listening to music to the basic security of our family. In fact, there is almost nothing our smartphones, with the help of the right apps of course, can't help us.  

Which of course makes us VERY happy to come across an app that addresses something that is VERY important to us, yet seldom gets the attention it deserves. We are talking about the education and advancement of our kids, of course. It is the sad truth that while our younger generations are smarter than their elders, yet they are less educated and know a LOT less than the generation before them knew.

What can we do? Young people are glued to screens of various sizes from the crib, from smartphones to tablets to TVs to smart watches to cinema. It has become their favorite and almost only way to look upon the world and learn things about. So, some smart people at Meta4 Solutions asked, why can't we use that fixation to put some knowledge and understand into young peoples' heads?

Well, let's introduce QWiz.Me!, an app that lights a candle of knowledge in front of people of all ages, though of course the young are its main users. The app contains quizzes, tests, links to tutorials and more about a wide variety of subjects, from Math to English and more. The user takes quizzes, gets to see and check his or her answers and then go on to increasingly difficult tests.

The app is VERY user friendly and beautifully designed, all to make the learning experience all that more pleasurable. In fact, just using the app for fifteen to thirty minutes a day is guaranteed to help the user along in his or her studies to the material in hand.

Naturally, there is an extensive array of reports, from standard status report to compartive reports showing how the user advanced from the beginning and how he or she is doing compared to the majority of people his or her age.

Turning learning into a fun and rewarding experience on the platform young people love the most, our own smartphone's screen, must be ranked among the better uses anyone anywhere can think to put his or her smartphones to.

Google Play Link

ASA - All Songs App - Android App Review

ASA - All Songs App by Informative Fortunes - Android App Review  

Music is serious business, and not strictly in the financial sense. Many people don't watch movies or sit in front of the TV or go out to the cinema, but they still listen to music. In our over industrialized, commercial, enslaved-to-deadlines world, music is sometimes the only escape and relief.

But music has a lot of information and things that must be known in order to be able to fully appreciate it. It is not a disadvantage, this is just the way things are. Knowing the words to a song will help us really appreciate it, while knowing why and how a specific artist writes and composes may bring us greater understanding of his or her music.

In addition, sometimes knowing who the artist is and learning some things about him or her will introduce us to more of his or her songs, more works and more albums. Sometimes, we will be lead to start listening to works of other artist that have been inspired or been an inspiration to the artist we started the journey with ... To sum things up, we need to KNOW in order to fully enjoy our music,  even if it is to be able to find other songs of an artist we love. 

Having said (or written) all of that, we are glad to introduce a brand new app that takes a really good shot at a solution to the problems and needs we just outlined. This app, All Songs App by Informative Fortunes, is a giant repository of information and media about music.

The app is simple and straight forward to operate, providing a well defined and well designed interface (see what our reviewers had to say about this in a few paragraphs). The app allows the user to search for any artist or performer. Then, the app provides the features of learning more about the artist and his or her works, as well as displaying lists of albums and songs by that artist.

The user can also play the lists of songs and works, choosing to play one specific song, a group of songs and just playing it randomly. The app provides the ability to see clips and performances of the artists and songs and it also provides the feature of finding artists and songs that are similar to the ones the user just browsed.

Well, like we said, music is a serious business (not just in the commercial sense but in the importance of music in everyone's life) and we launched our reviewers at the app, to experience it and to send us their reviews. 

Let's start with the interface. Our reviewers liked the interface quite a lot. It has its own visual style and it is designed to be simple and easy to navigate the app. Everyone had the app up and running and browsing his or her favorite music and artists in no time which is quite an achievement as some of our reviewers are not tech savvy. 

Our reviewers were also quite impressed with the app's database as there was almost no artist they could think of that was not represented in the app's lists, as well as no song or album they couldn't find. 

Our reviewers were quite happy with the app as it expanded their music experience. Even professional music fans were quite impressed how easy it was to find lyrics and information about every song and work and find new information about things they thought they already knew everything about ....

Our reviewers had several tips to offer. First of all, they suggest keeping an open mind. We usually search for a specific song we liked but the app makes it very easy to enjoy other songs by that same artist and find new things and works to love.

Another tip is to use the app to learn more about the artist and his or her works. Understanding the artist and his or her works better creates a much more comprehensive music enjoyment experience.

The last but not least tip is to use the app as a portable radio. Just select the songs or artis you like, or just let it play randomly. This way, with the app always available to provide information on any artist or song, really expands our music enjoyment.

 

• Score: 4.8. A comprehensive music and information database.
• Description: ASA - All Songs App allows the use to search, enjoy and learn more about almost any artist and song.
• Good Points: Simple to use interface with its own visual star. EXTREMELY comprehensive music and artist database. Extensive music playing features.
• Bad Points: None that really came to mind. Perhaps the ability to change the backround, though this is just nit-picking ...
• Experience: No reviewer has any problem installing and running the app, regardless of tech savvy and prowess.
• Longevity: We think that no reviewer has uninstalled this app, as even those with less interest in music used the app as a music and song player.
• Link to Google Play

Workout Bunnies - Android App Review

Workout Bunnies - Android App Review

We already mentioned on our featured review of workout bunnies some of the benefits of working out, from health to self esteem to aesthetics to finding a away to relax from all the stress our work and life in modern life brings about.

But we also talked about the difficulties. Starting to workout is very difficult and maintaining a workout regime for months or years is among the most difficult things one can try to do. This is a grave problem because more than once, just when the benefits are starting to appear, the one making the workouts stops working outs ...

Now, the best way to receive and maintain motivation about something like working out is through a community dedicated to the same thing, because you can be inspired by others, share triumphs and temporary defeats, help others and be helped yourself.

Of course, getting professional advice and remarks from experiences people is also very important, as is getting tips about fitness programs, workout plans, nutrition suggestions and even the right type of shoes that will be good for YOU. 

This is why Workout Bunnies is such a great idea. This app is in fact a social networking app that is intended to create a community of people dedicated to working out, and in fact will allow its members to enjoy all the benefits 

So, we gave the app to our reviewers and waited for their remarks.

First of all, our reviewers liked the app's interface. It is clear the app has been professionally designed and everything is very simple to operate AND pleasing to the eyes, which is just as important. In addition, our reviewers liked the fact that even though the app is a full social networking app, everything is simple and uncluttered, unlike other types of social networks.

Our reviewers also sent in a few tips and tricks to help us use Workout Bunnies to make our own workouts as good as possible. The first tip is to join the community. Make new friends online who also use the app. Find experts in the field. Befriend celebs who do the same workouts you do, who love doing leg's day or using TRX. 

The second tip is to actively participate. It is important not only to make friends within the Workout Bunnies social network but also share your experience, your workout plans, your goals in the future and even pictures of you working out. This is the only way to get feedback from friends, feedback that is what Workout Bunnies is all about.

The last but not least tip is to share not only your experience but use the app to make a kind of training blog. In the beginning, state your current condition and your goals and then post regular updates, including measurements and pictures. This is the way for you AND for your friends using the app to appreciate the effort and progress you made in your workouts. 

Our reviewers' overwhelming conclusion is that Workout Bunnies is a great idea that should have been made a lot time ago. As it is, it is a great motivational and professional help for everyone who wants to not only workout, but keep working out for months or years.

• Score: 4.7. A social network for working out.
• Description: An app that implements a social network dedicated for working out with the ability to share statues, plans and picture among friends and get tips and advice from professionals and even celebs ...
• Good Points: Complete social network interface. Very uncluttered feed. Focuses on working out subjects. Professional and celeb advice available within the app.
• Bad Points: Should have been done years ago ... 
• Experience: Signing up is simple and fast. Making friends and searching for people who are interested in the same workouts you are interested in is also quite simple. All that remains is to share and share.
• Longevity: Well, actually that depends on the outlook towards working out. Those are are determined to keep keeping and becoming lean will keep working with this app no matter what.
• Link to Google Play

Jambo - CLASSIFIEDS - Android App Review

Jambo - CLASSIFIEDS by Knoxweb - Android App Review

Our present age of Internet and Android smartphones and mobile devices has brought about a set of fantastic new options that have never existed before. We are now connected twenty four seven to the Internet, to the vast majority of humanity.

And why is this a good thing? Simple. Because now when we are interested in something or other we are not limited to our village and the adjunct town but we can search the entire world. In the same way, when we want to sell something, the entire world can see it.

Jambo - Classifieds takes advantage exactly of this fact. Anyone can post goods or services for sale or look for things to buy on this app and it immediately reaches a huge potential crowd because anyone using the app will see the things anyone else posted for sale.

The app has a very detailed category structure to sort the various things on sale there and anyone search and find exactly what he or she wants. In addition, there are ads there that can be targeted to various sorts of users, though now most ads advertise things for Kenya, such as flights.

The app even has a social network competent, allowing users to share moments and fun things from their life, helping user reach the good and services they wanted while the sellers can more easily reach their potential clients.

So, we gave the app to our reviewers and waited for their remarks.

Our users liked the app's simple interface, allowing anyone to use it, even without extensive computer knowledge. In addition, the category structure was well received, as everyone was able to find whatever he or she wanted quickly and efficiently.

However, the most important tip our reviewers sent was about the app being new and not having a lot of users yet. This is a golden opportunity for sellers and buyers alike, for the buyers who can carve out a hefty market share now, while its easy and the buyers who can get stuff for cheap, now.

Another tip is to use the app's social network component, as sometimes buyers will advertise there things the buyers couldn't find. Another tip is to mind the ads, as sometimes they can lead to real savings as buyers are still few in number and have to develop their markers on Jambo.

Sellers can select and buy ads, featured or regular, for their services. Featured ads are more prominent but are also more expensive. A buyer must try them both before selecting the one that best suits his or her product and marketing budget.

• Score: 4.5. A classified app mainly for Kenya.
• Description: A classified app that features goods and services organized in a very detailed category structure.
• Good Points: Detailed category structure. Several types of ads. Targeting Kenya. Easy interface.
• Bad Points: A small user base at the app is new, but the user base is growing steadily and there are ways to take advantage of a small user base anyway ... 
• Experience: Setting up and start using the app was quite easy and straightforward. Finding everything was real easy as doing the opposite and offering goods or services for sale.
• Longevity: All those who needed improvements in English kept this app installed. Interestingly, even some of those who knew English perfectly found the app educating and improved their English with it.
• Link to Google Play

Learn English in context - Android App Review

Learn English in context WebStar School of English - Android App Review

To start this review on the right foot, let's get some things clear first. This will help us understand the reasons the app we review has been made and we will also be able to understand some of the clever design features the app possess. 

So, to put it quite simply, the app in question, Learn English in context, helps you learn English and how to use it in day to day situations, in real occasions everyone is encountering everyday. Just to make matters clear, everyone should know English. Although there are other common languages, English (and not Spanish or one of the Chinese dialects) is the true international language today.

So what does Learn English in context do? Like we said earlier, this is an English learning app that not only tries to teach English but its goal is to teach everything a person would need to actually use the language in real life situations. In addition, the app itself has a LOT of features, all designed to make learning easy and fun.

The app has lessons and videos, friendly clips designed around specific topics of interest, from nouns to tenses to expanding vocabulary. This is useful since we all like watching videos, so why not learn from them at the same time?

The app also has games, from hangman to guess the letters, all to make learning that much more fun and varied. Last but not least, the app has its dictionaries and even a place for leaving notes, about lessons or things learnt or whatever the user wants.

So, we gave the app to our reviewers and waited for their remarks.

A learning app is not something most people would like to have (as most people don't have fond memories of school or learning experiences in general) but our reviewers were pleasantly surprises with this app. The sheer number of features and ways to learn made going through the app much nicer, since you can watch a movie, take a quiz, play a quick game and then repeat without getting bored.

The games the app possess are quite varied and some of them are challenging. The quiz game gets quite difficult after a time and provides a good challenge. The hangman was also a favorite of many of our reviewers.

Our reviewers reported that the app has quite a comprehensive context learning aid. That is, the app allows the user to learn and use English in various situations, from home to work to leisure. This was especially useful because it allows the user to practice English just the way he or she must use it in his or her real life.

Or reviewers also liked the videos and other media presented by the app. It is clear a real effort has been made to make the video both entertaining and educating, as the English used was exactly one would use in real life situations and watching the videos was both rewarding and not tedious, which occasionally happens with educational videos.

Our reveiwers also sent in a few tips and tricks. First of all, Learn English in context is an educational app. This means that to make the most of it, you must clear some time (not much, even ten minutes a day would be a great start) and learn what the app has to teach you. And during that time, turn off the TV and radio and just pay attention to the app.

Another trick is the opposite of the previous one ... It is true that to learn from the app you have to dedicate some quality time to it but even if you have a few minutes here and there, you can still benefit greatly from the app just by playing the games and the various quiz games. 

As the old saying goes, practice makes perfect and to really learn to use English you must practice it. The tip our reviewers sent about this matter is to plan in advance and to see which situation you are going to encounter next and to study that subject in the app, as the subjects are context oriented this should be both easy and helpful.

The last but not least tip is to use the note taking and dictionaries the app contains. When practicing English, just keep the app handy and check new words with the app and write down interesting phrases in the notes section of the app, all to make our English that much better.

• Score: 4.7. An English learning app.
• Description: Learn English by context teaches us English by focusing on situations and their relevant context.
• Good Points: Context based learning. Comprehensive dictionaries. Good media designed to help in learning. Note taking feature.
• Bad Points: None that we saw. Perhaps the ability to differentiate between British and American English, though that would have turned the app into a complex monster. 
• Experience: Setting up and start using the app was quite easy and straightforward. Finding the various games and media took a little digging but everything is well places and easily reached.
• Longevity: All those who needed improvements in English kept this app installed. Interestingly, even some of those who knew English perfectly found the app educating and improved their English with it.
• Link to Google Play

Cogxio - Android App Review

Cogxio - Android App Review

Let's face it. There is almost no decision in life important as finding and hooking up with the right spouse. We can change jobs, learn a new profession, move from country to country, adopt kids, change life styles but a good spouse will make the difference between a good life and a life that is, well, hell on earth.

Probably most people understand this but although they will usually go to great lengths to research a new neighborhood before moving in and will find out in advance how difficult a certain study field will be and how much will it later pay, the most important decision in life is usually left to chance and instincts, even by very intelligent people.

But we tend to forget that almost everyone of us now has in his or her possession one of the most powerful tools ever developed, the android smartphones and mobile devices (okay, the other kind too, if you must know). These powerful tools have extremely powerful processing capabilities and they are hooked up twenty four seven to the Internet. 

This is why we are so happy to interodice Cogxio, an online dating and match finding app that is actually designed for India but is going international these days. Cogxio is a very simple app that does an incredibly complex job of trying to find a date that will be right for you, the user.

The app can find matches according to physical location, then does matching according to interest fields and descriptions the various people give about themselves. Then, the user can try to contact suitable people and if their approach is approved, they can start chatting with them, in preparation for a meeting.

So, we gave the app to our reviewers and waited for their remarks.

Firs of all, our reviewers liked the privacy and safety features the app gives. Our private details are not something we would like to circulate and Cogxio does a great job of keeping them private and safe. Even deleting accounts is fast and efficient, unlike other dating apps that keep old accounts to bolster their apparent number of users.

The matchmaking itself is very efficient and actually seems to work. Of course, how exactly the app does this is a closely held secret but most if not all of our reviewers were quite happy with the match results. 

Our reviewers also liked the efficient and simple way communications between strange people, possibly matched, is performed. The user can send someone a 'crush' and a message. If the other person also sends a 'crush', then the two users can chat, which facilitates the possibility of a date, if both persons are interested in this. Like we said, quick, efficient and simple.

In addition, the map and location finding feature is also very useful, according to our reviewers. Sometimes you want to find someone close to you and not do all the complicated match making process and Cogxio has the perfect support for that. More often than not, a person physically close to you will also have something in common. 

Our reveiwers also sent in a few tips and tricks. First of all, try to put in accurate information and not things you wish for ... For the app to find you a good match, accurate information is a must. Also, when a match will be found, if you didn't give the app good info you'll quickly find yourself out of common interest subjects with your match ... 

Another thing to keep in mind is that every match, date and chat is special in itself. Even if you had three unsuccessful matches or chats, treat the next one is if it is new and fresh and try to not bring with you all the baggage and bad emotions from the last unsuccessful date.

The last but all important tip is to learn to use all the features of the app. Learn to use the map and location features, learn to use crush and chat features. Fill up ALL the info fields the app gives you and when you get a match, see all the interest fields your match has. Better information leads to better results. Guaranteed.

• Score: 4.6. A match making app with location features.
• Description: An app that will find you a match and help you communicate with it, hopefully leading to a date.
• Good Points: Easy to use and very friendly interface. Comprehensive info fields for finding good matches. Location and map features to see who is close to you. Good privacy features.
• Bad Points: The app is intended for the Indian market and is just making its first steps outside of India.
• Experience: All those looking for matches told us they needed only a few moments to fill their details and then started receiving match suggestions and messages from other users. The app takes very little time to start working and is very simple to operate.
• Longevity: All those looking for good matches.
• Link to Google Play

Star Wars Collecting Database - Android App Review

Star Wars Collecting Database - Android App Review

Well, we're not going to describe Star Wars again. If you've just woken up from a forty years come, you can take a look here. Anyway, this review is dedicated to a very special app called Star Wars Collecting Database which is dedicated to all those people out there collecting Star Wars memorabilia and items.

The app itself is an Android version of the same Star Wars collection database that has existed since 1998. Yes, you've read it correctly. The app and the windows version database track and contain items for more than seventeen years. Yes people, that is called dedication. 

The app and the database behind it have a single purpose, to catalog every Star Wars collectors items, starting from special edition comics, to a limited series of B-Wing bomber model to cast metal figurines of sand people made over twenty years ago. Of course, games, posters, pictures and many more types of items are cataloged. 

You see the books the app is based on in part here.

The app has two main functions. One is searching for items, categorized by types and groups and even time based. The app provides the user with quite a sophisticated searching functionality together with browsing and and item viewing. 

The second main function is cataloging items. The user can modify an item, change details such as place of purchase, price, condition and of course, he or she can also create a new item and enter all the information available on the item at the time of input.

So, we gave the app to our reviewers and waited for their remarks.

Actually, we divided our reviewers to three groups. The first was composed of hardcore Star Wars fan who already had collection of Star Wars items for years but did not use the app. The second group was made of people who were fans of Star Wars but were not serious collectors of items. The third and last group was of people who were not fans and did not possess any items.

Well, the hardcore fans went berserk. We actually had a hard time contacting them because they became so engrossed with the app. One said he could finally catalog all his Star Wars vintage comics. Another was busy completing his battle droid collection and the third told us the app was great, she was tracking down a model of Darth Vader's advanced TIE and to not call her again for two weeks.

The second group of slightly saner Star Wars fans were quite enthusiastic. For them, using the app was delving deeper into the universe they knew but never visited for themselves. We heard praises about the search mechanism and the ability to save lists and collection for your self.

Actually, the third group was the most interesting, because they were the people who weren't fans of Star Wars at all. Their collective opinion was that the app was sophisticated and easy to use at the same time, its user interface has been clearly seen a lot of work to make it simple and actually at least half of the reviewer group found themselves searching for things they remembered they loved from the movies, AT-ST models being the most popular for some reason.

Our reveiwers also sent it a few tips and tricks. One of the important things to know (we had this piece of information confirmed by the makers of the app) was that the app already contained memorabilia from the three next films, even they they haven't come out yet! The app and the database are the only place information about them can be gleaned. 

Reviewers also recommended using the CSV and backup features of the app, to create backups of collections and wish lists you create because it is always a good idea to have a local backup of your collections.

Another important thing to remember is that the mind behind the app and the database has also create collectible resources here, which might be of great assistance. 

The last but all important tip is to use the community. There are a lot of people using the app and the windows based database, all eager to help and extremely friendly (unless you start the stupid argument of who is going to win, a star destroyer or the Star Trek's Enterprise). Use them to help you find and collect the item you need.

• Score: 4.8. An almost perfect Star Wars Collecting Database App.
• Description: An app that allows browsing, searching and updating Star Wars collecting database.
• Good Points: EXTREMELY comprehensive database. Extensive searching facilities. Easy updating. Full information support for every collector's item.
• Bad Points: A few reviewers felt that a simplified interface for beginners would have helped using the app in the first hour or so.
• Experience: For experienced collectors, starting to work with the app is a breeze. In a moment they know already know what, how and where to look for the items interesting them. Beginners need half an hour to get themselves sorted out.
• Longevity: All serious Star Wars fans swore this app will stay on their smartphones forever. Even casual fans found the app interesting enough to keep it installed for a long time.
• Link to Google Play