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The Week in iPhone Apps: To The Polls!
Posted by John Mahoney at 5:00 AM on November 1, 2008
Wow. Four more days to go. The next time you pop open one of our lovely weekly app roundups, we will have a new man in the White House (knocking on wood hard here). I don't know about you guys, but I'm a little on edge. This week, let's have a look at the apps that will make you forget about gerrymandering, vote suppression, and how long you just waited in line and keep your eye on the prize.
VoteReport: This app ties in directly with the Twitter Vote Report project, which is aiming to keep track of the situation at polling locations nation wide on election day via Twitter to make sure all goes smoothly and no nastiness happens (Florida, we're looking at you). You can send canned updates regarding the status of your polling place, write your own or record an audio message and join the crowdsourced goodness. It's free.
Classics: After filing your report, you'll need something to do while you wait in line--Classics is an e-book reader that comes with a limited library of public-domain old timers like Huck Finn, Alice in Wonderland, 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea, etc, but presents them beautifully--some even with illustrations. If you were planning on reading any of the books on its list soon (more are coming via updates) and are cool with e-readers, this is pretty neat. $US3
PanoLab Pro: Now it's time for a panorama of happy smiling voters filing out of the polls! If you liked the free version of panorama-generator PanoLab, the Pro version for $US5 adds more features for making better panos--enhanced export settings at higher resolutsions, auto exposure adjustments for individual photos, etc.
EasyWriter: Useful on election day and beyond, EasyWriter is another free app that lets you write emails in landscape mode which does a few more tricks than the other free one, Firemail, like resizing your composition text with multitouch zoom. Plus, nicer icon. Free.
Fake Calls: Change of heart? "It's Jobs! Oh, man! I gotta take this! [runs off]" - you get the idea. Free.
Labyrinth: And finally, having nothing to do with election day but adding an interesting twist to the ol' tilt a marble through the hole game, a recent update to Labyrinth lets anyone create a custom level in a web browser and then download it to the game with a PIN code, a process demonstrated above. Excuse the music here--pretty cool feature though. Free/$US7
This Week's App Coverage on Giz:
•Square Enix Making Final Fantasy Based iPhone Game
•John McCain Finally Gets His Own iPhone App
•Microsoft Office Documents Editing Coming to the iPhone
•Google Earth for iPhone Puts Whole World in the Palm of Your Hand
•Opera for iPhone Ready To Go, If Not For Apple's App Store Policies
•Apple Really Wants You to Rate Apps in iPhone 2.2
This list is in no way definitive. If you've spotted a great app that hit the store this week, give us a heads up or, better yet, your firsthand impressions in the comments. And for even more apps: see our previous weekly roundups here, and check out our original iPhone App Review Marathon. Have a good weekend everybody.
Comments (AU Comments · US Comments)
There are currently no AU comments for this post.
Falsoman
Posted 6:39 AM 1/11/08
Tap Tap Revenge - Nine Inch Nails edition was released i belive yesterday and it's pretty cool. It's a 5 bucks refined, add-free refined version of tap tap but with 13 nine inch nails songs.
I hope they keep supporting the free version with downloadable content, but i like the game enough to pay the 5 bucks for an special edition. =) So put it there Giz!
Falsoman
Kaiser-Machead's Cookie-Powered LEGO Machine
Posted 6:38 AM 1/11/08
@BEERxTaco: Dang, I didn't notice.
Kaiser-Machead's Cookie-Powered LEGO Machine
D.E.P.C.
Posted 6:38 AM 1/11/08
@BEERxTaco: I personally like to buy my apps used. No new app smell, but when you're living on a budget...
D.E.P.C.
BEERxTaco
Posted 6:32 AM 1/11/08
@Kaiser The Undead Cookie Brought to Life With Lightning and...: Used to be you could look at ALL FREE APPS, butthey took that away with the latest iTunes release.
BEERxTaco
GadgetPlay
Posted 6:24 AM 1/11/08
There WILL be a new person in the White House, but not until January. Commie, or not Commie, that is the question.
GadgetPlay
EricAlder
Posted 6:22 AM 1/11/08
That fake call app could be hilareous!
What the... ? Who the HELL is Adam Frucci? (Decline)
EricAlder
Kaiser-Machead's Cookie-Powered LEGO Machine
Posted 6:21 AM 1/11/08
@General Halfshaftery: I patrol the free apps as well, though, I will pay for something that strikes my fancy. The reader is one of them.
Kaiser-Machead's Cookie-Powered LEGO Machine
FrankBurns
Posted 6:20 AM 1/11/08
You guys are making me homesick with that pic of The Boardwalk!!
FrankBurns
The Lunesta Portion Control Intern
Posted 6:20 AM 1/11/08
Don't know if anyone was waiting, but they fixed Bloom for the iPod Touch 2G w/2.1 firmware. Now well worth it.
The Lunesta Portion Control Intern
bobman1235
Posted 6:14 AM 1/11/08
@General Halfshaftery: I download MOSTLY free apps, but there are some pay ones that are WELL worth one dollar or three dollars. Seriously, you can afford an iPhone but can't afford a 99 cent app?
bobman1235
Zeuxis
Posted 6:13 AM 1/11/08
I got this week Google Earth and 100 Words To Make You Sound Smart, great two apps :)
Zeuxis
Wegmans
Posted 6:11 AM 1/11/08
Clusterball is keeping me sooo busy... i'm pretty happy with it
i think you guys should have also included iBeer, so you can drink when Obama/McCain gets elected...
Wegmans
MR OPTIMUS PRIME
Posted 6:11 AM 1/11/08
No I only get the free ones too !!!
MR OPTIMUS PRIME
LindsayJoy's MBP is into S+M and its Snowing Leopards!
Posted 6:08 AM 1/11/08
Oh I really want the e-book reader now! yay!
Thanks!
LindsayJoy's MBP is into S+M and its Snowing Leopards!
General Halfshaftery
Posted 6:07 AM 1/11/08
I can't be the sole person who downloads only free apps, can i? I cruise the Top 25 Free, then 25 more once or twice a week and keep it at that.
General Halfshaftery
kaizoku80
Posted 7:02 AM 1/11/08
@Wegmans:
...in celebration!
kaizoku80
geeksuperhero
Posted 6:58 AM 1/11/08
Am I allowed to post about our own apps?
ContactClone (free) will let you exchange your contact info with people you meet standing in line waiting to vote. ContactClone Pro just got approved today too; if you've got a dollar to spend.
geeksuperhero
Ike_Skelton
Posted 6:56 AM 1/11/08
How about.... The Week in ANDROID APPS!
Ike_Skelton
Etaripamai (XBL)
Posted 6:53 AM 1/11/08
@Falsoman: yeah if i still had my iphone (i (wish i hadnt bought it)phone) Then the NIN tap tap game is a must have.... I <3 nin... in a totally non gay, not heroin addicted way
Etaripamai (XBL)
rexplex
Posted 6:51 AM 1/11/08
@MR OPTIMUS PRIME:
Most of my apps are free, but if we want to keep the devs, they need to make some money. I've started to budget $5 a month to buy paid apps.
Regardless of who wins, it's still capitalism & we need to vote w/ dollars.
I've yet to pay for a app that was not worth the money, but a few of the free apps have been worthless.
rexplex
General Halfshaftery
Posted 7:23 AM 1/11/08
@bobman1235: What iPhone? I have a 32Gb touch, and it's not a matter affording more software. I paid for my device and that's it, i have no interest in my MP3 player becoming and ongoing revenue stream for Apple or its software partners.
General Halfshaftery
spyker3292
Posted 7:13 AM 1/11/08
Loving Classics :D.
spyker3292
Herman
Posted 7:11 AM 1/11/08
I vote Opera!
Oh wait...
What's so special about iPhone apps? Symbian and Windows Mobile have a quadrillian times more applications available.
How long does it take for an Apple buyer to realize he's getting screwed?
Herman
Martin 'Ichabod' Crane
Posted 8:13 AM 1/11/08
@Ike_Skelton: Coming soon.
Martin 'Ichabod' Crane
JonathanHiggins
Posted 7:58 AM 1/11/08
@geeksuperhero: Really cool! :) Ugly icon thought :P
JonathanHiggins
qrius
Posted 8:38 AM 1/11/08
@LindsayJoy's MBP is into S+M and its Snowing Leopards!: makes me want to switch away from my sprint sero to AT&T for the iPhone.
No... must... not.. give in... to the dark side...
qrius
Ken_Darrow
Posted 9:07 AM 1/11/08
Classics is sweet. I'm sure more updates coming soon and more books. Makes the Kindle look like a POS. ;-)
Ken_Darrow
Duc
Posted 9:04 AM 1/11/08
still waiting to text in landscape
Duc
chumitz
Posted 8:51 AM 1/11/08
@Herman: First - the app store is the special part - it is freaking easy to find, read about (especially reviews of) and install new apps. Hence Android has its own store, and Blackberry is following. I used to have a palm device, with numerous apps - but it was kind of scattered finding and installing them.
If you dont like the iphone, dont buy it. I can tell you as someone who bought one and used it for three months or so, its a great gadget. If you've tried it, you would know.
chumitz
behavin
Posted 8:47 AM 1/11/08
Did anyone else get really excited when they saw the bird icon and think it was songbird for the iphone?
behavin
codemagic
Posted 9:23 AM 1/11/08
If you're standing in line to vote in "real America" you may need to download your apps via landline. I hear the 3G coverage isn't so good in those "real America" parts of the country.
codemagic
sos10 votes NO on prop8
Posted 10:27 AM 1/11/08
@GadgetPlay: not commie is the answer. but which one?
sos10 votes NO on prop8
sos10 votes NO on prop8
Posted 10:26 AM 1/11/08
@sos10 votes NO on prop8: sans R
sos10 votes NO on prop8
sos10 votes NO on prop8
Posted 10:26 AM 1/11/08
@Zeuxis: So, you now know where Caper Vert is?
sos10 votes NO on prop8
brutek
Posted 5:36 PM 1/11/08
I voted already because of the new vote early program using a free iPhone app. Wait, the touchscreen was miscalibrated and I ended up voting for Nader!
brutek
ryanpage
Posted 12:13 AM 2/11/08
iphone===att (beauty IS skin deep)
i've had it with att long time ago
gphone==t-moblile
[12tb.com]
ryanpage
GadgetPlay
Posted 3:07 AM 2/11/08
@sos10 votes NO on prop8: One IS a commie, the other is McCain.
GadgetPlay
drigo02
Posted 8:37 AM 2/11/08
@Duc: I agree, is there not an app to enable text in landscape????!!!!! THROW US A BONE JOBS!
drigo02
smackswell
Posted 2:46 PM 2/11/08
@Lindsay 'Can you say yes Mistress' Joy's Dominatrix Avatar: Pick up stanza. It's free, it offers all the classics, plus more, and you can load your own book files on to it as well.
And it's FREE.
smackswell
banmojo
Posted 12:34 PM 3/11/08
I haven't paid for an app yet, and I don't plan to. Can I afford to? Oh HELL yeah. I did buy both me and the wifey the 16gb model the day of release, after all. It's the principle of the thing. The hardware is already pricey, the service is WAY overpriced imo, and then they expect us to pay for apps, MOST of which are seriously crappy flawed shite? NO F$#@ING WAY.
I get along just fine with all the ad supported free shite. I've been tempted by the Texas Hold'Em game for 4.99$, but I won't buy it until they make it playable over the network with my buds. If they're close enough to share wifi, WTF would we want to play on the f$#@ing phone, when we can handle cards, quality chips, on a felt table, with some cold beers in hand? FFSA!
banmojo
banmojo
Posted 12:29 PM 3/11/08
@GadgetPlay: Commie may be a bit of a stretch, but Marxist, terrorist chumming, lying womanizing power hungry DANGEROUS piece of crap does apply. Cheers.
McCain/Palin NEXT 8 YEARS!!! WOOHOO!!
banmojo
TF2Soldier914
Posted 1:19 PM 3/11/08
The fake calls app is genius.
TF2Soldier914
TheCrudMan
Posted 7:56 AM 1/11/08
@FrankBurns:
Santa Cruz for the win!
TheCrudMan
krom
Posted 10:24 PM 3/11/08
@GadgetPlay: lol. you americans. still make me laugh.
krom