Chelsea Taylor

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Stories By Chelsea Taylor

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    Apps
    Apps By Chelsea Taylor

    Track flights for free with Air UK Free

    AirUK is an app developed by Fikret Urgan. It requires iOS 6.0 or later, is compatible with iPad and iPod touch, and is optimized for iPhone 5. A user can track flight statuses by following the movement of tiny plane icons. If you press on one of the planes, the app displays the flight number in green right above the icon. You can zoom in and out using your fingers or the (+) and (-) symbols at the bottom left corner. I checked a few of the flights online and they seemed to be accurate. I'm sure there's room for error as some flights might lose the ability to update their flight status in some situation. There is not a way to search for a flight by number however, so you have to actually scroll through and find the plane yourself, which is very inefficient. The app is free but is full of advertisements. Some of the ads cause the app to crash. There are apps on the top of the screen which are irritating and distracting, and the full screen ads honestly make me want to throw away the app altogether. When you zoom in and out to find a specific area where you would like to track a plane, the app takes a long time to load because there are way too many tiny plane icons that have to readjust their location. I'm sure it's still faster than looking up the flight status online depending on the airline. I think it would be better if there was a way to search for one specific flight number and let that be the only icon on the screen. I doubt anyone would want to know the flight status of every plane coming and going from their town. AirRadar UK is very plain and straight forward design wise. It's clearly for utility and not for entertainment. A little more design effort could persuade a user to go "Pro" though. The planes are very low res; however as previously stated, there are so many of them so they probably have no choice but to make them small and easy to load all of the icons on a tiny mobile screen. I would recommend AirUK to travelers and their family who need a fast way to check in on a flight status via mobile. This app is great for business executives, flight attendants, travel enthusiasts, and their loved ones who want to know where they are even when they are in the sky. From a car or from home you can check and see where a flight is and if it is on schedule for on time arrival.

    By Chelsea Taylor Read More
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    Apps
    Apps By Chelsea Taylor

    Send your kid on a safari adventure with Trail the Tail

    Trail the tail is an educational children's app. It requires iOS 6.0 or later, is available for iPhone, iPad, and iPod touch, and is optimized for iPhone 5. It's a simple app with three short, fun, and educational games for young children in the main menu, a simple math game, and several other games involving various zoo animals on a side menu. The user is greeted with very cute, upbeat keyboard music and invited to explore the app for games to play. The app is entirely visual with essentially no need for reading so it's clearly suited for a very young demographic that is still learning basic concepts including identifying animals and their behaviors. There are three games on the main menu, twelve mini games on a side menu, and also a small math calculator game that is clearly for parents to unlock some information about the game, including an option to subscribe to the Thematica newsletter, more recommend apps, an option to rate the game and write a review, the privacy policy, and a button that allows you to contact the developer with any questions. The three games on the main menu seem to be the featured games with more interesting game play, and the games on the side menu seem to be mostly just additional features. The animation design is adorable and the interface is very intuitive - which is key since this app is designed for young children who might get frustrated easily with a new game. All the animals are drawn very well and have a cute cartoonish appeal to them. Kids love smiley animals so I can definitely see an appeal there. The color palate is natural and at the same time vibrant and eye catching. My favorite game by far is the one on the main menu that requires a user to take pictures of turtles just as they poke their heads out of their shell. It's really easy to play but also fun to see what the turtle's facial expression will be. Sometimes they seem happy but occasionally they are grumpy having been caught in a photo and it's quite humorous. I recommend Trail the tail for children ages five and under. It's a great game for parents who may want some educational fun for their child while patiently waiting in a doctor's office or at another public place where they may need to be quiet for extended periods of time. It's not challenging at all and is meant for kids who cannot yet read and who cannot quite yet understand complicated game rules. I think this game is ideal for a preschool aged child who wants to play a game that can pass the time and also learn about zoo animals.

    By Chelsea Taylor Read More
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    News
    News By Chelsea Taylor

    Check out HelloTel when you check in to your hotel

    HelloTel is a brand new social networking app. This app allows users to "check-in" to a hotel much like a user would check-in on location based apps like Foursquare. The user is then also able to see nearby users who have checked into their hotel as well as nearby hotels. It requires iOS 6.0 or later and is compatible with iPod touch, iPad, and optimized for iPhone 5. Once a user has checked-in, they can message others and give them "kudos", which I guess is just a positive quick way to say you like their profile. I think I might be one of the very few female users currently on this app because I instantly was swamped with messages and kudos. Users can also add you to their favorites list. HelloTel is a very easy platform for meeting people if you are from out of town and traveling alone. You might want to have a quick drink to pass the time the night before an important business function or other purposeful visit. There is also an option for a user to indicate that they are on the app for business. Truthfully I don't see people using this app for business because the design has more of a dating app feel and the content that people can put in their profile is all personal. The social aspect of the app is quite appealing though. The interface design is reminiscent of Tinder, without the option to swipe left or right on a user. I like the basic white/teal color palate. The hotel themed icons - such as the bellhop - are really cute. It's easy to navigate from tab to tab and to message other users. Users have the option to add photos of their stay and to post a status about the hotel. Setting up my profile only took a minute and finding other nearby users to message was simple and straight forward. I will probably use HelloTel next time I am traveling alone and looking to socialize with other hotel visitors. Sometimes it's fun to meet a new person to have a drink at the hotel bar and check out an indoor pool with, and it's probably much safer to do this with a person who is staying in the same place you are, versus a random person from a bar or another dating app. I recommend HelloTel for people who travel often and are looking for a social media app that can allow them to meet people where they are instead of staying in their hotel room all alone. Chances are, getting out and meeting people will be much more fun than any of the premium movies you can order from your hotel room TV.

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    Gaming
    Gaming By Chelsea Taylor

    Strike down enemies with Tower Rush Lite

    Tower Rush Lite is a free tower defense game that challenges a user to protect a portal from monsters. Players put up towers where you can safely throw weapons at the enemy until they die. It is set in medieval times and located in a castle where toads, orcs, and monsters roam around waiting to be attacked. There are no ads or in app purchases. Tower Rush Lite is designed for iPhone and iPad. It requires iOS 4.0 or later and is optimized for the iPhone 5. It's really easy to navigate even for a user that typically does not play games like this. The interface is very simple and user friendly and it takes only two seconds to go back to the menu and restart the game if you make mistakes early on. This encourages players that might need to practice before getting deeper into the game play and makes it much less frustrating for everyone learning to play. There is a great deal of impressive detail in the design of the portals and the characters. A user can easily zoom in by pinching out in order to look closely and see the design work Wonder Gum has put in. The satanic grunting sounds from the characters are really intimidating and funny at the same time. The background music is an upbeat keyboard track that keeps the game atmosphere feeling energetic and fun. A user must defend their portal by purchasing towers with coins. Tower placement is key. Observe where the enemies entering the portal and place towers in their path. When enemies pass through the tower green zones they can be attacked and killed as they pass through. When the tower is no longer of use to protect the portal, the user has the option to sell it in order to purchase towers that could attack enemies in other parts of the portal. Certain towers are extremely effective in killing enemies and others are much less useful. It's easy to quickly figure out which ones work best. The four towers come with upgrade transformations that make them even more effective in killing enemies quickly. Each monster has a life bar that indicates how close you are to killing them off. Tower Rush Lite is truly addictive. It is challenging and fun to play with very few interruptions. It is easy to get caught up in it and look up to find that several hours have gone by while you were attacking your enemies from towers. I highly recommend this game to people who love tower defense games and those with an interest in medieval style design. I could see users being tempted to download the paid version of the app after getting hooked on this.

    By Chelsea Taylor Read More
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    By Chelsea Taylor

    SnapDare is Snapchat and "truth or dare" combined

    SnapDare is a social networking app modeled after the classic sleepover party 'Truth or Dare'. It requires iOS7 or later, is optimized by iPhone5 and compatible with the iPod touch and iPad. The app asks you to create a username and password and supply your phone number so that your contacts can find you and play. Once your friends join, you can send them truths and dares and they can respond by sending some to you in return. For proof, you can send the truth or dare back with a video or a photo. This app has a simple red background with white text. I would argue that it is almost too simple. There is hardly any design incorporated in the app at all. The only icon is the French Bulldog icon that appears when you log into the app. I do like the Bulldog and it would be cool to see more elements like this in the app to have more aesthetic appeal. For such a fun concept you would think the developers would want to have a fun look for their app as well. I invited my friend to play with me and he accepted. We spent over an hour playing. Some of the automated truths and dares are a bit too tame but you can write in your own if you want to challenge your friends more. To send proof of the dare you can send back a photo or video with text. Often when I would try to record a video with text the app would crash. I recently updated to iOS 8.0 so this could be an issue with that. It was a bit frustrating though because I would create a great Dare video with no option to save it and then it is gone forever. I already did the dare and there is no proof, and anyone who has played truth or dare knows that having to redo a really good dare can be something you might not want to try. Humiliation is usually funny the first time and probably annoying the second time. My favorite part of Truth of Dare is the element of getting to know a person. When I was a kid at sleepover parties where this game was played, I always left feeling closer to my friends who answered embarrassing truths and who acted out a humiliating dare. It's a social game that allows people to lower their inhibitions and have fun. SnapDare is a really fun way to play Truth or Dare with friends who you already Snapchat or text with frequently, and could potentially be a way to get to know new friends quickly and with humor. I recommend this app for people who like Snapchatand a nostalgia for one of their favorite childhood games, Truth or Dare.

    By Chelsea Taylor Read More
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    Apps
    Apps By Chelsea Taylor

    Type less, search more, with More or Less

    More or Less is an app that is designed for the iPhone and iPad ad optimized for iPhone 5. It requires iOS 5.0 or later. It is a Google powered search optimization tool that allows a user to customize a search by indicating that top search links are "more" or "less" of what they are trying to search for. The design of this app looks outdated and sloppy. It reminds me of a search tool from 1997. The grey background is boring. Design wise, a user could easily assume that the app creators are making this more of a utility than a branded app that grabs and maintains a user's visual attention. I intentionally did a vague, basic search for "dog" and was presented with several links that varied from the 'dog' Wikipedia page all the way to links about a famous vine dog. I decided I would like to see more perfectly timed dog pictures and less of everything else. Life is short, and who has time for any dog photos that are less than perfectly timed? What I ended up getting was another fairly random mess of other dog links that did not necessarily narrow down my search. I enjoyed scrolling through the other links and browsing what the app came up with, but as a search engine optimizer it was not working for this specific search. I do like that each search comes with a photo of the link so you can see exactly what the link displays. This could be very useful in doing searches on specific people or topics that may require you to quickly be able to see a photo associated with an article to know that it is what you are looking for. The only downside to this is that fewer links can be displayed on a page because they take up so much space on a screen, so this could also extend the time it takes to narrow down a search. Typing the exact words to get a more precise search on Google is really easy, so I am not sure what kind of problem this app aims to solve. If anything at all, I wasted way more time sliding the more and the less around. It takes just a few seconds to type "perfectly timed dog pictures" into Google and the search results are way more accurate. More or Less might be useful if you are using a device without a working keyboard or if you really hate typing for some reason. It's also fun if you are just looking for another internet tool to come across new links that you otherwise might not have found on your own.

    By Chelsea Taylor Read More
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    Apps
    Apps By Chelsea Taylor

    Buy4Me brings groceries to you

    Buy4Me is a productivity app that helps users create grocery lists, and also find people in their area who are looking to earn coins to shop for other users. This app claims to be for people with limited time and mobility, and also for people who enjoy helping others in exchange for a tip. It requires iOS7 or later and is optimized for the iPhone 5 but also compatible with the iPad and iPod touch. The app comes with two free coins. A user is able to purchase up to 30 coins for only $3.99. Announcing an order in the app costs 1 coin. You can declare your method of payment and how much you are willing to offer someone to run to the store and get your half pound of bacon or whatever it is you wish to get there. Users are able to buy groceries for other users and create lists for other users to claim. You simply add in whatever it is you are looking to buy, the amount you need, and you can also include notes specifying brand names. The price estimate is left up to the user, which is tricky. Prices for many items tend to vary from grocery store to grocery store and often change each week due to changes in produce availability. The interface is user friendly and simple. Select "My Orders" to see your shopping lists you have created, and click "Go shopping" to view your open orders and previous shopping trips. The bright green and orange theme is pleasant. The icons - such as a grocery cart, a piggy bank, and notepads - while basic, are clear and purposeful indicators for what each tab is for. I don't see this app being useful for places where online grocery delivery is already very popular. In big cities like New York, companies such as Fresh Direct allow someone to quickly arrange grocery delivery from professionals while also being able to see exact pricing for goods. I think it's risky to trust just any stranger to buy your food for you. I personally am not comfortable with giving out my address and paying a stranger who has not been hired by a company which would require a proper background check for employees. Additionally, who is responsible for damaged grocery items or items the user wishes to return? If Buy4Me can figure out a way to link Facebook profiles and do background checks for grocery buyers (something apps like Airbnb do that seems to work most of the time), that might solve that issue, but it seems like a lot of work for grocery shopping when easier options already exist. I recommend Buy4Me for people who are looking for a cheaper option for online grocery delivery. The app is also useful for users who are interested in delivering groceries to people who need some help keeping their shelves stocked.

    By Chelsea Taylor Read More
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    News
    News By Chelsea Taylor

    Rediscover treasure hunting with Figibox

    Figibox is a location based messaging app. A user goes to a location of their choosing and can drop a Figibox message that can include text and photos for another user to access. You can also locate other Figiboxes left by other users and open them on location like you would with a classic treasure hunt. There is an option to send both public and private messages. Public messages (green Figiboxes) can be used to inspire and communicate with other users in your neighborhood. Private messages (red Figiboxes) can be used as a sentimental and fun way to message your nearby friends and family. This app requires iOS7 or later is compatible with the iPhone, iPod, and iPad. It is optimized for iPhone 5. Upon downloading the app, a user can find messages close to them that have been created by the app developers. This is a tutorial of sorts. I went and found some of the boxes. which included messages about how to use the app and leave messages at locations. This app is a fun way to cleverly communicate something I noticed at a given location (graffiti, a local art piece, etc.), or if I simply want a friend to go out of their way to locate something cute I want to say to them. The location service is very easy to use. I had no problem at all finding Figiboxes and opening them. The interface is designed with a basic white background, indicating that the creativity and artistic expression is left up to the user within their own Figibox messages. There is a lot of freedom to create something very original and interesting. I could see people getting hooked on creating experimental public messages with political and artistic themes. I like the idea of giving a physical location to a message for the public, but this seems like an inefficient way to send messages to one specific person or even a group of close friends. If I were to send a visual inside joke I would just text the person. Additionally, there are apps that exist already (like instagram) that allow a user to post video and photo messages with a geographic location tagged. The treasure hunting aspect of it could be fun publicly. I can see myself experimenting and seeing what myself and others are capable of creating and sharing. Someone with a bit of design sense and a strong voice could possibly become a Figibox celebrity user known for special artistic messages they leave in a community. Figibox is new and I am really excited to see the app grow in popularity. Currently very few seem to be using the app regularly. I think once it takes off, it could be a really unique way of expressing yourself in your community through messages created on location.

    By Chelsea Taylor Read More
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    Apps
    Apps By Chelsea Taylor

    Pulsate is your new wingman at local bars

    Pulsate is a brand new dating app that intends to match people in real time at bars and nightclubs. Other popular dating apps like Tinder and OKcupid rely on the users to decide if, when and where they meet in person. Pulsate makes meeting potential romantic partners as easy as turning your head at the bar to see if the match on your phone is also a match in real life. This is typically a job for a friend known as a "wingman" who is willing to put themselves out there for you to decrease chances of face to face rejection at bars. Your new digital wingman Pulsate is compatible with the iPhone, iPod, and iPad, requires iOS7.1 or later, and is optimized for iPhone 5. This app is user friendly and the interface is visually appealing. It takes about two minutes to connect to your Facebook and fill out your user profile. You can find venues that are "pulsating" - meaning venues where other users are located. This app is very new so I was unable to find any venues with other users. I could see this becoming a major issue for getting this app off the ground and to the masses. It might be to Pulsate's benefit to hold promotional events at popular bars to get users started. I don't see people signing up on their own and just winging it because with its current state it requires too much attention to find venues and other users. I do like the idea of meeting instantly in person. If the app can take off in popularity I would be interested in using it regularly because conventional online dating can be extremely disappointing. People usually do not represent themselves accurately and if you take the time to schedule a date to go out of your way to meet a person, you are often setting yourself up for a waste of an evening. With Pulsate, you can instantly decide if you want to spend more than 10 minutes enjoying someone's company. That relieves a lot of pressure from the stress that comes with assessing another person for compatibility. However, this app is not completely free. A user can only have five free matches and after that they must purchase more. I really don't see people buying into this. Why would anyone buy matches to meet people in bars where they already are? I think Pulsate would be better off embedding advertisements or incorporating some bonus premium user features rather than only allowing a very small number of free matches. People who use dating apps know that five people often does not even crack the surface in finding a match. I will be very interested in using this app more once the word gets out. Sometimes meeting people in real time can be difficult because you don't know if a person you are attracted to is unavailable or interested in you as well. This could eliminate awkwardness and allow people to connect in person very easily. I would recommend Pulsate to single people who are tired of meeting people online and are ready to connect with a real person in real time.

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    Gaming
    Gaming By Chelsea Taylor

    Pick your battles wisely in Weapons Throwing RPG

    Weapons Throwing RPG is a retro style RPG. The graphics and music have an anime design that is adorable and fun. The music sounds similar to that of other games from the 90s 16-bit era. It is an easy game to figure out and pretty simple to play. Although it looks like something that could have been played on a console in the early 90s, it is compatible with the iPad, iPhone, and iPod touch and is optimized for iPhone with iOS 6 or later. The design appears to be retro and simplistic but at a closer look, it is clear that there is a great deal of detail given to the scene illustrations in the game. I think it's an appealing look for users who would be interested in playing a classic and stylish RPG like this on their iPad or iPhone. The game made me feel like a character in a classic anime cartoon that takes place during medieval times. I can see users that typically play RPGs being drawn to the aesthetics of this cloudy and competitive world of knife throwing. To play, a user picks weapons to fight your enemies and advance to new levels. You can throw knives in two ways: straight forward or flung in the air. You can use the knives to block throws made by your opponent or you can throw quickly to injure them. A user can also use an invisibility tool to disappear just before a weapon hits you. As you advance in each level a boat at the top of the screen moves forward to indicate your progress in the game. Right before you reach the end, the game warns that you must defeat a boss. This is typically a fire breathing dragon or another intimidating looking character. You do have to be careful to choose just the right timing for throwing your weapons. If you throw too early or use all your weapons early on in a level, it will be difficult and nearly impossible to defeat the boss. You have to use defensive strategy to be sure to move forward in the game. Players can go to the equipment store and purchase protective gear (like shields and armour) and more weapons. The method of payment in this cloudy feudal society is jewels. A user has the option to purchase jewels in order to advance further in the game with more weaponry and protection. US$0.99 will buy you 20 jewels, and US$9.99 will buy 300 jewels. This game feels pleasant and sweet despite the fact that it entails throwing weapons to the death. I like that this game is both easy to play, but also complicated once you realize there are many options to purchase goods that can help you advance more smoothly in the game. The design is entertaining and playful. I can see RPG players of all ages enjoying Weapons Throwing RPG and defeating many fire breathing dragons in their missions.

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    Gaming
    Gaming By Chelsea Taylor

    You will not want to hit the brakes with Asphalt Overdrive

    Asphalt Overdrive is a new racing game from Gameloft that is both classic and exciting. The design quality and energy of this game makes it feel more current than older racing games. It is compatible with both the iPad and iPhone. It requires iOS 6 or later and is optimized for the iPhone 5. The app requires a user to have access to internet, which is unfortunate because my favorite time to play games like this is on the train where I often do not have internet access. The goal of the game is to complete short courses and escape from the police by using driving skills and car maintenance knowledge. You must touch the icon at the bottom of the screen as each race begins at just the right second to get an instant nitro boost that is extremely helpful in beating levels and earning stars. When you earn stars, you unlock more races. To earn stars and finish races, it is helpful to use your money and gold bars to purchase car parts, nitro boosts, and other upgrades. You are able to customize your vehicle in the auto shop and even create a free custom license plate. The graphics are very beautifully animated in 3D. Its design is reminiscent of classic racing games yet with a more high definition feel. For a free app, I'm truly impressed by the high level of design. It looks just like a video game you can purchase to play on a console. I'm guessing there was some funding behind the app - there are Ford logos included in the background of the auto shop scenes. There are an excessive amount of in app purchases available. Gameloft aims to incorporate a social media element with the option to invite friends from Facebook. Users are also encouraged to create or join gangs to increase success in the game. This could give users a role playing aspect to live vicariously through your characters and become addicted to this racing world much like other simulation games such as Second Life. Asphalt Overdrive is a very well designed game that has the potential to be very popular with iPad and iPhone users. Given the high quality graphics, I would prefer to play this on an iPad to see the images on a larger screen. It is a surprisingly difficult game to excel in. It is pretty easy to crash into other vehicles ad obstacles. I think about giving the game another shot every time I put it down because it is just challenging enough to hold my amusement. I recommend it to anyone who enjoys street racing games.

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    Gaming
    Gaming By Chelsea Taylor

    Get ahead of the curve with Cheating Tom

    Cheating Tom is a platform game where you select an avatar - either Tom or Tammy - and the goal is to graduate each level of grade school without ever learning anything or opening a book yourself. The avatar must get out of their seat and copy off of other students' papers without getting caught by the teacher. This is difficult because the student being copied off of eventually will raise their hand or start crying to get the attention of the teacher. The teacher then scans the room for cheaters. If you are out of your seat when she passes you, your character is busted. When you are caught cheating you fail and are given the option to repeat that grade until you finally cheat your way through it. There isn't a lot of strategy involved other than to jump from student to student before they get too upset and to keep an eye on the teacher to see if they are awake. There are power ups that pop up from time to time that allow you to be invisible to the teacher. Use those and they really help to complete a level and earn higher grades. The game works with iPad, iPod and the iPhone and is optimized for iPhone 5. It is free but comes with an excessive amount of video advertisements - the kind where you are forced to watch them for at least a few seconds. This is fine in the beginning but it becomes really annoying the longer you play the game. Occasionally the advertisements will also cause the app to crash. I think the game is a bit too easy for someone like myself to get addicted to. However, if a user has a real penchant for getting away with cheating, they might be tempted to buy a premium version of the Cheating Tom that does not come with advertisements. The graphics are very high quality. The characters all look like they could be straight out of a high quality animated children's TV show. They are expressive and humorous. When a student cries while you are cheating off of them, a flood of water flows from either side of their face. Some students blow steam out of their ears and don't even bother getting near those kids again in that level because they will go off again immediately. The teacher's suspicious and disapproving looks are adorable as well. All of the student characters have interesting looks - many of them have purple or green hair. There are also stereotypical nerds and cute girls in the class just to add a level of diversity I suppose. This game makes it seem like getting through school this way would be an easy thing to accomplish because it is not incredibly difficult to get through the entire game quickly. It's probably a good thing that on the app store, the description warns "Don't try this at school." Cheating Tom overall is a really fun game and a great way to pass the time. I recommend it to iPhone and iPad users who love platform games and who always wished they could earn a degree without ever having to use a calculator or memorize the 50 state capitols.

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    Science
    Science By Chelsea Taylor

    Fuel Burner hovers and lands

    Fuel Burner is a free game currently available for iPhone, iPad, and iPod touch and is optimized for iPhone 5. The goal of the game is to land all the helicopters in each level on landing pads marked with an "H" and landing on roofs in between to get there. By clicking on the helicopter, you can begin to move from one roof to another by clicking on them until you reach your landing. A user cannot land on the same roof twice and must use exactly the number of fuel power ups before landing on the helipads. This game does not allow a user to purchase more fuel. However, the user is encouraged to tell friends about the game in exchange for more 10 power up units. That seems fair enough and a pretty good way for the developer to get the word out about the game without having to pay for advertising. The graphics are very basic. For a free game that does not have any in app purchases available, expectations are pretty low anyways but they are quite underwhelming. The graphics seem to be for boys under the age of 12. 90 degree angles, basic color palette, and simple 3D graphics make it seem like it's a game targeted towards a "Lego" demographic. I could see kids between the ages of 5 and 12 finding this app visually appealing. I personally know a lot of kids who are big fans of helicopters and would be interested in giving this game a try. There are three difficulty settings - "Beginner" allows a user an unlimited amount of time to land all of the helicopters. "Intermediate" gives a 5 minute time limit, and expert provides only 3 minutes. I don't consider myself to be an expert player by any means, but I beat all of the levels even on the expert setting with very little difficulty. This game is not challenging but is a good way to pass the time on a train or while waiting in line. It doesn't require much focus especially on the beginner setting which does not have a time limit. The app describes itself as "A 5-star FUN strategic challenge, just don't get addicted!!" Very cute reverse psychology tactic, but didn't work on me. I like a game to be more challenging and dynamic. Every level is pretty much the same appearance wise and the only real obstacle is time. The number of fuel power-ups I think is supposed to be an obstacle but it's too easy to work around to be considered one in my opinion. Fuel Burner might be incredibly easy for some, but less experienced game players might find it very addictive. Helicopter fans of all ages, try it out but just don't get addicted!

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    Reviews
    Reviews By Chelsea Taylor

    Amazing Brick is amusing, but not amazing

    Amazing Brick is a puzzle game that involves repeated tapping to maneuver a diamond shape (assumably, the brick) past obstacles.The app is available for the iPhone and iPad. I played the version optimized for iPhone 5. To play, you tap multiple times and use the position of the tap to move the diamond forward left or right. Once the diamond hits a wall, the game is completely over. There are no difficulty settings in this version, which is unfortunate because it is an extremely challenging game. The upwards movement from just one tap is so fast that to be able to play this game for more than 1 minute I think you would have to have the fastest fingers known to man. I was able to only play this game for 10 seconds or less. Despite this, I kept playing and couldn't understand why at first, given how frustrating it is to play the game for any significant duration of time. There was something very funny about the contrasting combination of the soft piano music and the cartoonish sound effects that go off while the diamond moves forward and eventually hits a brick wall. I felt like a silly character in a comedy sketch whose gimmick is constantly dying from running into brick walls. It's a cruel joke and for some reason I just kept failing at this game and laughing. The name of the game is really terrible. The creator seems to be aware of this, as the description in the App Store indicates: 'I'm not an amazing brick as named by my stupid creator.' What is so amazing about the brick? It just propels forward very quickly into a wall and then it dies instantly. It's a funny game but 'amazing' is clearly and comically an ill-used word here, whether done purposefully or not. Amazing Brick is too silly to become addicted to, but it is a pretty amusing app to laugh at and share with friends. Sharing this app could even be a prank of sorts. You could convince your more gullible pals that you play this game with skill and then watch them crash and burn to a hilarious soundtrack. I am really interested to hear if any other users are indeed able to get very high scores in this game and how they managed to do it. I would consider their tapping skills nothing short of "amazing."

    By Chelsea Taylor Read More
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    Reviews
    Reviews By Chelsea Taylor

    Perfect Flick is perfectly frustrating

    Perfect Flick is a free puzzle game for iOS. This is a puzzle game that is intended for gamers looking for another addictive phone game. Using a simple flick, the game introduces challenging levels that can hook a seasoned gamer or frustrate a novice endlessly. It is currently only available for iOS devices including iPhone, iPad, and iPod touch. The game has various levels that a user can access after completion. A user begins with free 20 flicks (turns) and is awarded up to 5 flicks for each level completion. There are in app purchases available - a user can buy 20 flicks for 99 cents, 100 flicks for 2.99, and 500 flicks for 9.99. Some of the levels are very visually appealing and conceptually fun. However, other levels seem very out of place. For example, the first few levels include flicking a car towards a brick wall without crashing and flicking a coin towards a ledge without allowing them to fall. Then there's level 7, in which the player is instructed to flick some toilet paper so that it reaches "50 centimetres". What? That seems very random - why would anyone flick toilet paper? Why 50 centimeters? This level made me start to lose interest and I felt that this game was a bit of a joke. I don't see players feeling compelled to purchase flicks to complete a level involving flicking toilet paper rolls. The game describes itself as a game with "precision flicking puzzles." Precision is correct. It is extremely challenging to get through even a few levels with the mere 20 flicks that come with the free app. After the 20 flicks are used, users are encouraged to buy more flicks or completely start over. Other puzzle games (like Angry Bird) usually allow a free user to have more time to familiarize themselves with the game before encountering a "game over" scenario. Losing quickly can be pretty frustrating for the casual player who typically does not buy add-ons within a game. The challenging aspect of it could help to bring in loyal users who do intend to purchase more flicks to continue playing the game and experience new puzzles. For novice players, this game could prove to be too challenging to pursue beyond playing for a day or two. If there were more flicks included in a free turn it would be much less frustrating. 20 flicks barely gets a brand new user through the first three levels. Perfect Flick does not have the capacity to be as addictive as other puzzle games on the market currently, but it is still worth a try. It's a fun game that does require some skill and practice and I do see myself playing Perfect Flick again at some point when I am really bored. I don't really have a burning desire to flick toilet paper though.

    By Chelsea Taylor Read More
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    Apps
    Apps By Chelsea Taylor

    Stay adorably in tempo with Petronome

    Petronome is a free app that offers itself as a standard metronome with animal noises instead of the typical click sounds. This app seems to target children studying music because the noises are very playful. The incentive to download this app as a parent would be to make music practice more exciting for your child. I used Petronome while playing my keyboard at home. It functions perfectly as a basic metronome. As an adult it truly does feel a little silly to have animal noises guide me through practicing a new song. However, as a child I probably would get a huge kick out of it. I hated practicing piano when I was younger and Petronome might have motivated me to practice enough to become a much more dedicated and professional musician. The animations are very clever and adorable. The noises that accompany them however, are not very realistic to their corresponding animals. The cat sounds more like a high pitched squeaky toy. The chicken sounds like a rusty wheel. The dog bark is probably the closest to sounding like an actual animal noise. The user can choose to slow or speed up the bpm and the app displays the proper Italian name for that tempo. This metronome has entertainment and educational value that could be appealing to children studying music. A user is able to access other animal sounds with the premium version of the app, including a fish, a duck, an owl, and a frog. For 99 cents, that might be worth it for a young musician who is also a huge fan of any of these animals and can be used infinitely. The App Store description mentions that Petronome is good for pet lovers or a rock star. I don't really see Bono bothering with this app, which is definitely more of a toy than it is a useful tool. However, perhaps the next generation "Bono" - who may currently be a six year old learning guitar or piano - may find this app to be very appealing. I don't necessarily see pet lovers using the app just to hear animal sounds as there are already many toys with more realistic sounds that serve that same purpose. Petronome is cute and useful for users under the age of 10. It's great to help beginner musicians focus in a way that is creative and entertaining. As a free app, it is certainly worth a try for young music students.

    By Chelsea Taylor Read More
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