Hey folks, I’m taking a short break from my studies. With the advent of the bigger and… mostly just bigger iPod for giants, I thought it would be a good idea to do a little series on some of the normal-sized applications that have made Josiah’s well-used first-generation iPod touch (aka The josIpod) the awesomely fun and still-totally-useful device that it is. So, without any further ado, here is Part 1, alternately titled
Apps That I’d Really Like To Use If They Actually Worked
Instapaper is a pretty useful little tool — if the only information you need to download for offline viewing is contained in a simple HTML webpage. The interface is a little clunky (you have to navigate to the page you want to download in Safari, then click a bookmark that executes some Javascript, then navigate to the application, and click the download button), but it’s usable. The main reason I don’t use this application all the time is that it does not allow you to download PDF files, raw images, pages with frames, or anything else that is not contained in a simple HTML page. I’m not sure why they didn’t just write a simple in-application browser with a “save this page” button…
Quicken is the site that I use to keep track of all my financial transactions. Despite it’s several bugs, the site is able to automatically connect with my bank, and provides a quick and secure way to keep up an electronic “checkbook.” The app claims to be an optimized interface to the site, but it has far too few features to be really usable. For instance, it cannot edit previous entries.
Remember the Milk was one of my absolute favorite “To-Do” list services on the whole Internet. You can categorize items, set up reminders, and it will save all your previous entries. It WAS among my favorites, that is, until the company came out with one of the most infuriating applications in the app store. It’s a close call, but I think it’s almost a match for Stephen Wolfram’s outrageous $50.00 interface to a website which can be accessed for free via Safari. Why, instead of simply putting a price-tag on their application, RTM allows users to download the app from iTunes for no charge — and THEN requires them to pay a $25.00 fee to enable this very UN-free application. Even that wouldn’t be so bad if users weren’t made to pay that fee again and again and again EVERY SINGLE YEAR.
For those of you who are wondering why there are only three applications on this list instead of bazillions, just be grateful that I don’t have time to list ALL of the underachieving applications I have downloaded and then immediately deleted.
For those of you who are looking for something a bit more positive, tune in next time for Part 2 (Apps That Aren’t Useful But Get Used a Lot Anyway)!