Reflectly

Reflectly
     The premise of this app looked interesting.  Supposedly this is an intelligent journaling app that helps you track your moods and keep track of what happens in your life with a little emote that asks you questions and guides you through your self reflection... I have to say though, I was honestly a bit underwhelmed.

     The layout of the application is pretty clean and straight forward and the little emote is a nice touch.  Each day the app asks you how your day was, why you felt it was good or bad, how you felt through out the day, asks you to elaborate and then asks you an optional random question (Such as what you would bring with you to a deserted island).  My issue is the lack of options for the answers to some of these questions.  I never feel the option I choose is accurate, but there just isn't a better option listed.  I'll explain...

• How was your day today?(Only one option can be chosen)

Really Terrible , Somewhat Bad , Completely Okay , Pretty Good , Super Awesome

• What made today _(Whatever option you chose above)__? (Only one option can be chosen)

Work , Family , Relationship , Education , Food, Travelling , Friends , Exercise , Other

• Would you like to elaborate on what happened? (This will take you to a box where you can explain everything that happened that day or to skip it.  The character count is limited.)

Yes! , No thanks

• How did you feel through out the day? (Only one option can be chosen)

Happy , Blessed , Lucky , Good , Confused , Stressed , Angry , Anxious , Down

• Then the random question is asked.  Anything from "Do you have a mentor" to "What's the worst money that you've ever spent".  You can type the answer into a text box with limited character count or skip the question entirely.

     After all of this you add a title and it creates your story for the day including a cover image it pulls from its very limited collection.  Expect to see the same images over and over.  On the plus side you can go back to your stories and edit them to add an image or notes for that day's entry.  The image you upload can then be used as a cover photo for that story.

     I don't think there are enough options for how you felt through out the day, and so on... Also I feel users should be able to choose more than one option.  I'm not sure how most people work but I am affected by multiple things through out the day and my mood fluctuates accordingly.

     The app allows more than just the ability to shuffle through old journal entries though.  You can favourite entries you like and check your weekly and monthly Stats.  These stats show you the fluctuation of your overall mood each day through out the week or month on a line graph.

     Users also have a private Profile where they can add a photo, check their achievements, how many stories they've written, and their current streak.  The edit option in the top right allows users to change the colour scheme, adjust your "morning" or "evening" hours so Reflectly knows how to greet you, Logout, export data, or delete your account.

     It should be noted that I am using the free version of this app.  There are paid options that unlock more features such as unlimited stories because... yeah... The free version only allows you to create so many stories.  The paid version also allows you new random questions at the end of each entry instead of it cycling through the same few questions.  I wrote eleven entries and only got asked 3 or 4 different questions.  The rest were all repeats.  The other perks of the paid version are biometric lock and advanced statistics.  Which means the paid version doesn't even improve much on the parts of this app I had issues with.

     It should also be noted that unlocking this app through payment is not a one time payment.  It is a subscription plan, and it is not particularly cheap.  35.99USD for one year or 23.99USD for 3 months.

     All in all the app isn't by any means bad.  However I find it to be too limited for my taste and the subscription option feels unnecessary for this type of application.  The app is simple to use however and could be very useful for those wanting a personal journal without a lot of bells and whistles or who want to keep track of their mood over a long period of time.  Sadly if users wish to do this for a long time they will need to pay a subscription fee which I consider a down side to the app.

Rating: 3/5

• Free
• Seller: Reflectly ApS
• Category: Health & Fitness
• Size: 34.6 MB
• Languages: English
• Copyright: © 2019 Reflectly ApS

Rated 4+

Be A Surgeon Free

Be A Surgeon Free App for iPhone
     I would like to start off this application review by discussing something that will initially seem completely unrelated.  However, bare with me.  I assure you, they are related (At least to me).
     Are you familiar with Zero Wing?  A popular old school game that, itself, was not all that impressive.  however, it gained great fame for it's terrible English.  The way the characters spoke (Via text) was so humourous that the game and many of the phrases from the into because memes.  Even if you are not familiar with the video game, you may have heard the phrase "All your base are belong to us".  You can thank Zero Wing for that one.  I have attached a video (Thank you, Youtube) of the intro from Zero Wing, to the bottom of this post.  Watch it to get a sense of what I mean, if you have not previously seen it.
     Now, you may be wondering what any of this has to do with this game.  it's not in space.  It's not an old school game... Oh wait!... Yes... You guessed correctly.  It's the way the characters speak.  I believe this was initially a Spanish application.  It was translated to suit the English speaking audience it was being sold to.  However, much of the English is choppy.  But not in an annoying way so much as in a funny way.  I would go so far as to say that this game's so bad, it's almost good.
     The game graphics are bad... The artist could certainly use some work on game graphic design.  But they aren't 'terrible'.  The characters are predictable and the situations can seem quite unreal.  The game play itself is easy, though sometimes requires a good bit of memorizing what to do and what order to do it in.  As you get to the later stages, it's much more challenging.  Almost to the point of frustration.
     Let's go over some of the elements of this game.  First off you can choose to play in either Spanish or English, which is a nice feature.  Somehow I feel like Spanish mode would not be as amusing.  You can start a new game.  Continue a game where you left off or choose to do an operation.  If you choose an operation, it can only be one you have already successfully completed.
     In the game you have several scenarios.  The dialog scenes which add to the story.  It features images of the characters against a background and dialog in a box below (You have no control over how these scenes go).  Sometimes it will be a full drawn scene, and not just the character background setup.  Second are the "before the game play" bits.  These are where you look at the chart of the person and find out what to do, what order to do it and so on. Of course next is the game play.  You can play with left or right handed mode, which is a nice feature.  You cut people open, remove fragments, give injections, disinfect, stitch wounds and bandage, among other things.

     During the game play mode, you have the patients heart rate meter active.  If their heart rate drops, they could die.  it is important to work quickly and not to make mistakes.  You have more leeway with this in the earlier stages, where you are still learning the game and have the nurse's assistance.  In later stages you almost start to think these patients are really just trying to die.
     After the game play, if you successfully complete the level you get your end of level data and it's back to more dialog and character interaction.
     I will add some screen shots below of some of the funny things people in this game say.  Feel free to click on the smaller images and expand them for easier reading.

 

     If you enjoy this game, these is also a paid version.  There is also a lite version.  The paid version is the same, but removes the ads.  granted the ads were a bit annoying since they sometimes cover a part of the play screen you need to interact with.  The lite version isn't the full game.  The free and paid versions both have the same levels.  I finished the first 3 chapters.  There are 14 chapters in total, listed.  I didn't enjoy it enough to want to continue to play it quite that far through.  Plus chapter 04 was frustrating for me.  Bloody patient kept dying over and over.

     So in closing... Bad graphics, semi-interesting plot, predictable characters, funny (accidentally) dialog, challenging gameplay (NOTE: Sometimes frustrating when doing tiny detail work because it's difficult to point to one specific tiny area on your phone screen with your finger.  A small stylus may be better for playing this game).  It's not a bad game, but it's not great.  Honestly my favourite part is just reading the terrible English.  I am not insulting the translators of this application.  Honestly, I think if they had done a better translation job, the app wouldn't be as entertaining for me.  So I am glad it turned out this way.

     My biggest disappointment with the application is the art style is sometimes painful for me to look at.  It's not 'terrible'.  However, it looks like art from someone still learning the ropes for drawing.  And it doesn't feel like 'game art'.  The game play mode art is fine.  The backgrounds I think are perfectly fine.  It is just the characters themselves.  The style for drawing and colouring of them just annoys me a bit.  But I find myself to be a very visual person.  I like when things look clean and professional.  So it's really more of a personal opinion. But for me, a game's art is very important.

     Before I forget, here is that Zero Wing video I promised.

Rating: 3/5

• Free
• Category: Games
• Released: Aug 04, 2012
• Version: 1.0
• Size: 133 MB
• Language: English
• Seller: Ruben Pecellin
• © Ruben Pecellin

Rated 4+

Your Past Lives - Your Future Life - Regression Reading

Your Past Lives - Your Future Life App for iPhone
     Have you ever wondered whether you've met someone before?  It's a feeling we get, even when we've never met them to our knowledge.  Or have you felt like you've been someplace before, despite knowing you never have.  Perhaps these things occurred... In another life! *Eerie music plays*
     When you start up the application you'll hear some string music (It sounds like traditional Asian music) and see a crystal ball with clouds floating about within.  You will need to choose whether you want it to read your past or your future life.  If you choose future you will need to pay an upgrade fee.  I opted not to do this.  I was satisfied with just the past life option.
     So, let's say you chose past lives (That way we can move forward)...  You will now be prompted by a series of questions.  First gender and full name.  Once you enter this information you'll get a number.  This is your numerology number.  Which is odd because I was sure your numerology number was determined by birth date... But let's ignore that.
     The number it provided me was "8".  You can read the traits people with this number have in the screen shot below.  Each number has different personality traits.
 

     It will ask you the day and month of your birth and with those answers, provide you with an Western astrology character.  Mine was Pisces, as you can see in the screen capture above.  When it provides you with this symbol, it will also give you more personality traits to go with it.

     Entering the date will then give you the corresponding Eastern astrological sign.  However, it is non-specific (Meaning rather than "Fire Dragon", "Earth Tiger" or "Metal Rooster" it will just say "Dragon", "Tiger" or "Rooster").  And once again you will have a list of personality traits associated with that sign.  Above, you can see that my sign is the Rooster.     Now you'll have to select your place of birth.  It's not very specific.  Just tap the continent.  This will give you another list of personality traits that is associated with the Feng Shui of your birthplace on the map.

      Tap again and "oh my goodness!"... The crystal shatters!  You'll then get your past life story with a short musical piece for dramatic affect.  Every time you do this, you'll receive a different story.  Obviously pulling from a pool of available stories.
     As you can see from the screen shot I have provided, the first time through I was the daughter of an Egyptian Pharaoh... The second time I was born in Athens to an aristocratic family.  The third time?  Pharaoh's daughter again.  Then the Pharaoh's daughter a third time... Then born to the aristocratic family again.  I believe that the information gets you to a certain area of the story pool, which is why certain information input always gives you the same few stories.
     Keeping in mind that this is an entertainment application and should not be taken seriously (Please don't live your life by things like this.  It's just for fun), I think it was a really fun application.  It could be fun to enter in the data for your friends and family member.  Ever notice how people are always rich or famous or powerful in a past life?  Seems... suspicious...  But then no one wants to hear "In your previous life you were a lazy person who hated bathing.  You accomplished nothing in your life and died rather early from a bad case of the shingles".
     This is a good source of entertainment and free, so I would suggest a download.  Especially if you're interested in astrology and such.  You can always learn about your future, should you choose to pay.  Maybe one day I'll pay and do a follow up review for that.
Rating: 3.5/5

• Free
• Category: Medical
• Updated: Oct 17, 2011
• Version: 2.0.5
• Size: 12.5 MB
• Languages: English, Chinese, French, German, Italian, Japanese, Spanish
• Seller: Poulet Maison Ptd Ltd
• © Webtopia 2010-11

Age of Ears

Age of Ears App for iPhone
     Have you ever wondered how well you hear?  There is a certain amount of hearing loss that the average person suffers as they age.  This application will test your ears in a way to show how far along you've come in that sense.
     Younger people can hear a range of sounds that older people generally can not.  in the same way that animals such as dogs and cats can hear things people can not.  So this will sound off a lower pitch sound and gradually get higher and higher.  The sooner you lose that sound (Can no longer hear it) the older your ears are.
     You touch the large button in the middle and hold.  When you can no longer hear the tone, you remove your finger from the button and it will give you your relative hearing age.  Did you get a score that's right for your age?  A bit older?  A bit younger?
     Many things in our daily lives can influence how much hearing loss we receive.  If you live a nice quiet lifestyle, chances are your hearing level will be that of a younger person, or right on par.  If you live in the city, have a job in a factory or in the military... It is likely you will have a greater level of hearing loss.  And as such will like score on par or older than your actual age.
     As for me, I have particularly good hearing.  This is likely due to the fact that I am legally blind.  When you lose part of or all of a particular sense, your other senses work over time to make up for it.  I have a great sense of smell, sound, taste and touch.  So naturally I scored below my actual age.  Though I was surprised at how low, to be honest.  but this explains why I can hear people whispering from across the house.  And why my I can sometimes hear my neighbors alarms going off in the morning when they are in a separate house.
     There is a volume setting as well as a reset button.  You may adjust these as needed.  It's a free application so I encourage you to try it out and see how well you score.  I feel that it is always important to know as much about yourself as possible.  After all, you should know yourself better than anyone else does.
     This is a great application.  Simple and to the point.  I enjoyed it.  I think the only way it might be improved is with some medical information provided as a resource. Something that explains what this means and why it scored you as such.  Why we can't hear certain sounds at certain ages and other such information.
Rating: 4.5/5

• Free
• Category: Health & Fitness
• Updated: Apr 21, 2012
• Version: 1.1.1
• Size: 3.3 MB
• Language: English
• Seller: IKKO OGAWA
• © Nenriki-inc

Melanoma Watch

Melanoma Watch App for iPhone
     I downloaded this application because of the cute icon... To my dismay, the application itself was ... not up to par.
     One would think that this application would to full of useful information about melanoma and tell you what to watch for and so on.  That is not what we have in this application.  It looks like someone did a Google image search for some reference photos and stuck them together and called it an app.
     We start with a search... We can choose things via the search, but it just takes us to the image wheel.  If we search through the image wheel there is still no actual information.  Just tiny images.
     No where that I have found, does this application link you to real information.  I would suggest skipping the application all together and just doing a Wiki search.  You'd get a lot more out of it.
     You would think that the magnifying glass on the image wheel would make the selected image larger.  This is not what it does. The magnifying glass, when selected, takes you to the text search.  When you select something through the text search, it takes you to the image wheel.
     Selecting the play button on the image wheel makes the application slowly go through each image.
     Clicking the home button takes you to the top screen with the drawing of the purple haired girl and the "start button".  Which seems sort of pointless, to be honest.
     Not only is this application next to useless, it has been known to crash on some devices.
     I would not recommend downloading this application.  You'd be better off with Wiki, or just using a Google image search, which is more than obviously all these people did.
     There is an option to buy the application to get rid of the ads at the bottom.  Assuming that's all it does (Since that's all it claims to do) I honestly wouldn't bother.  I am deleting the free version off of my phone immediately upon finishing this review.  Don't waste your time on it.
Rating: 1/5

• Free
• Category: Medical
• Released: Aug 05, 2010
• Version: 1.0
• Size: 4.3 MB
• Language: English
• Seller: William Wray
• © pixid ltd

Hair Loss Checker

Hair Loss Checker App for iPhone
     This is an application for checking to see if you are experiencing or will experience hair thinning or hair loss.  I downloaded it for multiple reasons.  Mostly I thought the icon looked cute.  I was hoping the entire application would match, but was a bit disappointed.
     As you see to the right, there are 4 icon on the main screen.  there are quick click icons at the bottom for the same things.
     Calculator will take you to a page explaining the purpose of the calculator and how it works.  It warns that this is not an official medical diagnosis, and that you should see a dermatologist for a true diagnosis.
     You can choose from many languages available, including English, Korean, French, Japanese and more.
     The calculator is a series of questions.  You can answer from a multiple choice selection.  I will list some sample questions below.
---------------------
How Old Am I?
How Many Hairs Fell Out Recently? (It does not specify "how recently".  Today?  this week?  After one brushing?)
Who In My Family Are Suffering From Hair Loss?
How Long Is My Average Sleeping Hour?
---------------------
At the end of this questionnaire it gives you results based on how you answered the questions.  You can then "retry" or "Ask Question"
     "Ask a Question" at the bottom of the Calculator takes you to the same page as the home "All Questions" button does.  This is a large empty page.  You can refresh it or write a new question.
     Your new question must be sent via email and will be answered and posted in this section.  I am not sure "who" is answering these questions or whether or not they are a doctor that is qualified to do so.
     Sometimes loading the Questions page will glitch the app, removing any quick tab buttons or any means of going "back".  You will essentially be stuck on this page until you close and reopen the application.
     Information will take you to a page that gives you a quick paragraph about hair loss.
     Diary is the last section that has to be covered.  in this section you will type in your personal data.  It will ask you a series of questions and develop a graph, based on the data.  Any day you can come back and take it again, which will help you to keep track of your graph.
     Some of the information this app provides is that excess sleep is unhealthy.  You should sleep no more than 8 hours daily.  Water is vital for hair growth.  You should drink over 6 glasses of water today.You should eat Fish, Nuts, Fruits & Vegetables rather than High-Fat, High-Calorie food.  So basically information most people know.
     I didn't find this application to be as useful as I had hoped it would be.  Nor was it 'cute' in any way.  It is a decent application concept.  I do love the fact that it's available in many languages.  Though some parts are only displayed in Korean.  It isn't a bad application.  It's just not as helpful as I had hoped it would be (And not as plentiful in eye candy).
Rating: 3/5

• Free
• Category: Medical
• Size: 1.6 MB
• Languages: English, Chinese, Korean
• Seller: SEUNG PYO PARK
• © 2010 monegi Inc.

Angry Boy

Angry Boy App for iPhone
     I actually downloaded this with my teenage son in mind.  It's a sort of "stress relief" application.  It allows you to 'freak out' and break dishes until you feel better.
     The "Help" icon on the start up screen gives you the instructions.  You 'shake' your phone to break the dishes.  At first this sounded like the worst possible idea.  One wrong move and you could accidentally toss your iPhone across the room and watch it shatter against the wall.  And upon playing it seemed like it took an awfully great amount of shaking to break the dishes... That is, until I figured out the easier method (Safer).
     The trick is to 'gently' shake the phone for a brief moment, then stop.  This will break the dishes.  Shake, stop, shake, stop.  Until the meter fills up.  Please do not shake the life out of your phone.  And even when shaking gently, please be sure you have a firm grip on your phone, just to be safe.
     There are 3 levels to play on, depending upon how much frustration you have.  The more "angry" the more dishes it will take to fill your meter.
     Once all of the dishes are smashed, and your happy meter is full you get a famous quote and a time.  You can enter your name and it will log this as one of your "best times".  To access these scores at any time, check the "log" section of the app.
     The concern I have is that someone 'very frustrated' may play this application by actually shaking the phone fiercely, without truly meaning to.  So please play with caution.
     Aside from the possibility of a 'human error' being dangerous, I think it is a simple and entertaining application.  A sound of "breaking" happens upon every dish that cracks due to your shaking.  It is also fun to try to beat your better scores.  Overall, I like the application.  But I am not sure it is something I could see myself using often or for a long time (IE multiple times within the next several weeks or months).  But that could be because I don't get frustrated that often?  It seems like more of an app for younger people (Not younger as in 'children' just as in teens and young adults.  Though children could play this as well, I doubt they'd be as disciplined in not shaking the phone too vigorously).
Rating: 4/5

• Free
• Category: Entertainment
• Size: 11.9 MB
• Language: English
• Seller: David Hanousek
• © Woo&Doo

Symptom Scenes

Symptom Scenes App for iPhone
     This was just released within the week.  This is an educational game with some cute graphics.  It's meant to teach the symptoms to watch out for, from Meningitis or Septicemia.
     There are 3 options on the title screen, as you can see to the right.  Learn will help you to learn about the symptoms, so you know what to look for in the game.  It will also give you some information about the diseases.
     About will tell you who made the game.
     The middle button "Play" is of course the one you use to begin the game.

     You will see a room with several tiny people in it.  You tap the people who show symptoms that you learned about in "Learn".  When you select them all, a new room will load.  It continues this trend until either you lose by clicking the wrong people too often or you run out of time.  You will then get a score.  It will tell you how many people you saved and what you could fill with that many people (A car, a mini bus, a bus, etc).
     It's a simple game with a simple purpose.  However, I find that you're learning to memorize the characters more so than the symptoms.  The same characters will always have the same symptoms.  It does also get repetitive.  The artwork could have been better as well.
     I applaud the makers for trying to educate and help people to know what to look for.  I'm just not entirely sure how successful this will be at doing that.  But I hope that it helps at least a few people.  i know that making a successful educational game that is both fun 'and' actually teaches something useful can be challenging.
     In closing I think it's an alright game.  I think it may be better for a younger audience (Grade school age). it's free and does provide good information.  But I don't think many people will want to play the game on a regular basis.  For me, I enjoyed a couple play throughs, but now that I have done so, I'm removing it from my phone.  I just don't feel that I will ever choose to go back and play it again.
Rating: 2.5/5

• Free
• Category: Medical
• Size: 19.7 MB
• Language: English
• Seller: Cilein Kearns
• © 2012 Cilein Kearns

Heart Fitness

Heart Fitness App for iPhone
     How healthy is your heart?  this app may be able to help you answer that question.  What does it do?  It reads your pulse and tells you how high (or low) your heart rate is.  Don't be put off by the one displayed, I have a strangely fast heart beat.  Even when I'm sleeping, it's beating quickly.  That's just me.  This application actually reads your beats per minute very accurately.  Much better than the pulse reader on my stationary bike.  And we paid a lot of money for that.
     Just press the "Measure" button and gently press your index finger against your back camera on your phone.  Keep it still.  Stay calm and breath normally.  It will take a moment for it to get a good reading.  It will let you know when it is done.
     It will then present you with your heart rate along with a chart to show how healthy that rate is.  Please note that there are multiple pages here.  Side swipe to access the other information provided for you.
     It will give you more information about what the numbers mean and where you should be.  This information can be accessed later if you like by clicking the Training tab.  However, if you re-measure your heart rate, this information will update to fit your new reading.
     There is a "Curve" chart, which could be very useful to you if you would like to track your heart rate through out your day to day life.  However, this option is only available for the one time fee of 99 cents.  I opted not to purchase this, but it does show a nice sample to give you an idea on how this might look, should you choose to use it.  If you are very health conscious or suffer from certain heart related ailments, this tracking method might be a good idea for you.  The price is not too bad.   I would say it's reasonable.
     If you select the More tab you have two options, User and Buddies.  User allows you to fill in any personal information about yourself.  Gender, birth date, height, weight and what not.  You will always be an anonymous user unless you register online.  However, this information will always be there for you to review or change on your phone.
     You can also invite friends to download the application.  In which case you can add them to your buddy list and track one another's heart rates.  This also requires registration, however.
     I like this application.  It's useful and serves a purpose.  the reading is accurate and it is free (For the most part).  I certainly approve.  If you are looking for a free heart rate application, I would suggest giving this one a try.
Rating: 5/5

• Free
• Category: Health & Fitness
• Size: 2.7 MB
• Languages: English, French
• Seller: Salim Mimouni
• © SensCare

Vision Test

Vision Test App for iPhone
     Before I get started on this review I want to explain that I expected to get a bad score when using this application.  That fact that I got a bad score is good for the application.  This is because I have just... terrible eye sight.  I was surprised that some of the scores were so high, actually.
     Please remember that this is 'not' an official eye test.  That can only be properly given by a professional.  If you have a concern about your vision, I suggest setting up an appointment with your optometrist.  This is for entertainment purposes only.
     I really love the graphics and sounds for this app.  It has a really nice look and feel to it that I appreciate.
     This app tests your vision on many different fields.  It also has a special test that can only be done on tablets.  I have 'not' done that part of the test, because I do not own a tablet.

     The first test is "Visual Acuity.  It's your standard "What do you see?" test where the items get a little smaller and bigger to see what your visual range is.  This can be a bit harder or easier for people who have different lengths in arms, as you have to hold your phone an 'arm's length' away.
     The second test is for astigmatisms.  People with such issues can generally use glasses to help with this issue.  This test will check how difficult it is for you to focus   You'll be given a series of lines, and need to determine which line is darker than the other lines.
     Duochrome is the third test.  This will test whether or not you have difficulty focusing on particular colours.  You'll be given a series of shapes over colours and be asks to determine whether any of them are darker or not.
     Then there is the colour test.  Just like at the doctor's office this deals with numbers or letters written in colour on something monochrome or something of a similar colour, to see if you can read it.
     You can then answer a series of questions related to your overall health to see if your lifestyle could be affecting the quality of your vision.
     At the end of each test (Or all, if you chose to do the full run in one go) it will give you your scores and explain what issues you may have with your eyes.  As you can see from the image to the left, I failed Acuity and Astigmatism, but did well in Duochrome and the Colour test.
     I really enjoyed this application.  It's free, it's fun,and it's something that can give you a basic idea on how good or bad your vision may be.  Though I wish they'd give you a standard length to hold the phone from your face, rather than assuming everyone has the same length arms.

Rating 4.5/5

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