SpinArt Free

With an overwhelming number of apps out there, I was having a hard time deciding what to review this week. So I went to my favorite source-my 8 year old daughter. I asked her what her favorite app on her school Ipad was. Without hesitation she says SpinArt. So we sat down and played!

SpinArt Free takes our favorite messy craft and transforms it into a fun, on-the-go artistic challenge. To use you set your spin speed, select your paint colors, and watch as your masterpiece is created right in front of your eyes.

SpinArt Free is an ad-supported version of SpinArt so many features are reduced and you have ads to deal with, BUT it's FREE!! If you are not satisfies with what the free version offers, the full version is available for $1.99. the full version offers more color choices and backgrounds.

 

• Name of App: SpinArt Free
• Audience: Everyone
• Platform: iOS, Android
• What the App Does and why we recommend it: Takes the fun of painting any where you go with out the mess.
• What platform we used to recommend the app: iOS
• Cost (at time of review): Free; full version $1.99

Goodbudget: Budget with a Why

Money Smart Week is April 23 - 30 this year. This is a public awareness campaign started by the Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago to help people better manage their finances. 

A lot of financial experts recommend what is called the envelope system of budgeting.  This is essentially placing a certain amount of money in an envelope for a certain item and throughout the month you only use the money in that envelope.  

If you would like to try this, but don't want to mess with actual envelopes you can try the Goodbudget app.  This lets you set up envelopes for your budget on your mobile device.  You get 10 envelopes for free and can set up more for additional purchases.  After you set up your envelopes, you can then track your purchases out of that envelope.  You can sync and share your budget with other members of your household. Goodbudget also has a report feature that shows how your spending is going.  Goodbudget is also accessible on their website https://goodbudget.com/ 

So if you are inspired to better control your finances, you might give Goodbudget a try.

• Name of App: Goodbudget
• Audience: Adult
• Platform: iOS, Android
• What the App Does and why we recommend it: This app allows the patron to do the envelop budgeting system on their mobile device.
• What platform we used to recommend the app: Android
• Cost (at time of review): Free, with additional envelopes available for additional cost.

If you are interested in participating in any of KHCPL's Money Smart Week events, visit the library's website at www.kchpl.org.

SoundHound: Identify Songs and Lyrics with Your Device

Have you ever heard a song that sounds familiar, but you can't remember the name of the song or who sings it? SoundHound will help you track down those elusive tunes. SoundHound can identify and locate the music being played around you. It will even provide you with the lyrics to the song and take you to the song in either the Google Play store or iTunes. Title, artist, lyrics, and a chance to purchase your favorite music--all by letting SoundHound listen in.

When you hear a tune you would like to identify or see the lyrics to, simply open SoundHound, tap the SoundHound icon so that is says it is "Listening" and then let it come up with the list of possible songs.  It will need access to your microphone to work, so don't forget to give it access the first time you use the app.

SoundHound

• Name of App: SoundHound
• Audience: Adult and Teen
• Platform: iOS, Android
• What the App Does and why we recommend it: The app helps you identify and locate the music playing nearby.
• What platform we used to recommend the app: iOS 
• Cost (at time of review): Free, if you choose to purchase a song from Google Play or iTunes, you do have to pay for those songs, but this app is currently free.

Monument Valley

I’m not one to typically play games on my devices, but a few weeks ago this game was brought to my attention by my 7 year old who needed help. Within minutes I was hooked.

Monument Valley (Apple Game of the Year 2014) is a beautiful puzzle game full of optical illusions, palaces, and temples from around the world. Every level is a unique, hand-crafted world that you must explore to help Princess Ida outsmart the Crow People. You manipulate the architecture by twisting, dragging and reshaping the layout to help Ida find her way through.

I love this game because you have to use critical thinking skills. You have to plan your moves ahead. Every action you take effects another part of the architecture, sometimes in a good way, sometimes not!

After the game is completed, two more games are opened up for you for more adventures with Princess Ida—Forgottten Shores and Ida’s Dream. We played on a KindleFire and everything was free with AmazonUnderground including the additional games. However, Apple does not offer a free version.

 

Name of App: Monument Valley

Audience: Everyone

Platform: iOS, Android

What the App does and why we recommend it: A fun, beautiful game that requires critical thinking

What platform we used to recommend the app: Android

Cost (at time of review): iOS-$3.99; Android-free with AmazonUnderground or $3.99

Guides by Lonely Planet

Many people like to travel.  But it can be cumbersome carrying around travel guides to the city of your choice.  Lonely Planet, one of the leading publishers of travel guides, has an app for you. 
Guides by Lonely Planet gives you access to guides for major U.S. cities and cities around the world.

You can find information regarding hotels, restaurants, sites to see, and places to shop. It has a nice bookmark feature so you can save the places that interest you.  They also make suggestions of other things you might like to see.

One of the best features of this app is you can access the maps offline.  Once you have downloaded the guide you want, no Wi-Fi is required. 

So on your next trip, save some time and space in your suit case and try Guides by Lonely Planet

 

Name of App:  Guides by Lonely Planet

 

Audience:  Everyone

 

Platform: IOS, Android

 

What the App does and why we recommend it: It gives the user mobile access to travel guides from cities around the world.

 

What platform we used to recommend the app: Android

 

Cost (at time of review):  Free

Get the Most Out of Your Photos with PS Express

These days you have many choices when it comes to selecting a photo app. In our last post we highlighted the Relight app.  We thought you might want to look at another photo correcting app option.

With Spring Break and summer approaching it's time to make sure you are ready to take some photos. Many people have cameras on their phones, which makes it so much easier to take pictures wherever you go. But do you ever have trouble getting them to turn out right? Sometimes poor lighting and distance can really turn those picture perfect moments into picture disasters.

PS Express (Photoshop Express) can help you with that. With tons of features this app can take your photos from blah to wow in just a few seconds. Photos too dark? Lighten them. Photos too blurry? Sharpen them. A person popping up in your picture where they shouldn't be? Remove them! (Note: Removing people from photos really only works at a distance. If it is a close up--it would look really odd.)

Notice the difference PS Express can make in the photos below, the photos on the left are the originals and the ones on the right were doctored with PS Express.

PS Express for iOS

PS Express for Android

• Name of App: PS Express
• Audience: All
• Platform: iOS, Android
• What the App Does and why we recommend it: The app helps modify and fix your pictures after they are on your camera roll.
• What platform we used to recommend the app: iOS 
• Cost (at time of review): Free, there are some in app purchases if you want premium features, but I have done just fine with the basics.

Relight-Better Photos

No matter how good your phone’s camera is, it never quit captures the photo you want. The picture is too dark or it is just a little blurry. With the Relight app you can actually get pictures closer to what you actually see.

Relight uses eight special modes to bring out the best in all your photos.

• Enhance - Improve lighting, contrast, and color to give your photos a more  natural to the eye look
• Low Light - Improve dim lighting and correct exposure problems
• Artistic - Add creative HDR effects to your photos
• Clarity - Bring out details and enhance local contrast to make your photos stand out
• Sky - Enhance contrast in the sky to create a distinct look
• Dramatic - Heighten the emotion of your photos with bold lighting
• Overexposure - Improve washed out and overexposed photos
• Fog - Reduce fog and haze to bring life to otherwise dull photos

With all the photo enhancing apps out there, what sets this one apart? I like this app best for two reasons. One is its simplicity. After you download the app, you are given a quick, step-by-step tutorial that explains everything. You don’t have to be a photographer or artist to understand or operate the app. Secondly, it actually enhances your pictures without making them appear cartoonish.

Name of App: Relight

Audience: Adult

Platform: iPhone, iPad, and iPod Touch running iOS 8.1 or higher

What the app does and why we recommend it: Enhances photos so they appear more like what the eye sees

Platform used to recommend: iPhone

Cost: $1.99