Apps | Technology Bloggers

Weight loss apps

2nd January 2012 21 Replies Christopher Roberts

I understand that app reviews are usually Ron‘s territory, however I thought that as it is anew year I should try some thing new. What better to write about than something which is currently very topical: New Year’s resolutions!

As we enter 2012, it is predicted that the majority of resolutions made will focus on either loosing weight or quitting smoking. Therefore to try and help people stay on track to keep their resolution, I am going to review some weight loss apps.

Here we go then, a review of 2 really useful weight loss applications!

Lose It! iPhone and Android Weight Loss App

The first weight loss app is called ‘Lose It!’ and is available the iPhone, iPod touch, iPad and Android smartphones. Lose It! is free, so it costs nothing to download, which is always a bonus 🙂

The app lets you set goals, and then through daily calorie rationing, helps you work towards achieving them.

The app comes hand in hand with a site called Loseit.com which if you create an account, can help you track the food you are eating, and the exercise you are doing, calculating what you need to do to achieve your goals!

If you sign up for an account (which by the way is free) you can also see how your friends are doing, meaning that it could be very helpful if you are a bit of a competitive person!

An example of what the LoseIt! account home login screen looks like

Now the big question, does it actually work? Well, over 95% of users who used the app for 4 weeks lost weight, so it would seem that this is a weight loss app that works!

Give this app a go, it is free, and from the reviews I have read, it works! You can find in the Android Market and iTunes.

Nike Training Club iPhone Weight Loss App

The next app is called Nike Training Club, and is primarily aimed at women, although reading reviews about it and reading up about the app myself, there is nothing really to stop men using it too.

A screenshot of the apps interface

Like LoseIt! the Nike Training Club app is free to download, but is only available on iPhone, iPad and iPod Touch, not Android.

Nike’s app focuses mainly on the exercise part of weight loss, rather than the food you eat. What the app basically does is provide you with your own personal trainer from your phone, iPod or tablet.

The app has 130 different exercises/drills that you can do, and it times you whilst you are doing your workout. You can track your overall training time, and the more you train, the more rewards you can get, which can help motivate you to keep going!

The feedback is again very good, many people are saying that because of the fantastic guidance from professional athletes that the app can gives you access to, there really is no need to hire a personal trainer.

Download the app via iTunes for free and get your workout going 🙂

So, what do you think of the apps, are they useful and do they help you keep your New Year’s resolution?

Create 3D models of your dreams with PLapp

15th December 2011 7 Replies RonF

Did you build your own spaceship or fighter plane when you were a kid having it to either guard your fantasy kingdom or just go gun blazing on your sibling? If you answered yes, you’ll love the iPad app I am reviewing today. PLapp is an amazing app which can be used to build all kinds of plastic models in a digital 3D environment assembling and customizing parts as you wish. Frankly speaking, I straight away was overjoyed by the fun and challenges this game offered.

PLapp is a model kit building app that lets you create 3D models and customize them as per your choice without compromising on the experience of building them in reality and lets you to even share the models you’ve created, with your friends on Facebook.

Assembling the parts of your 3D models couldn’t have been more enjoyable, with enough and more options for customization like a range of decals, materials, textures and colors all on your iPad, you can have all the fun you want without worrying about getting your hands dirty. Adding to this, PLapp comes with sound effects that are exactly like those you hear when you assemble and demolish model kits! The app has a simple interface and great functionality to assemble and color your models.

The 3D models you design move around really smoothly, making it hard to believe that they have been digitally created. This app gives you the thrill of having constructed your own models and provides you with plenty of options for customization.

As I said earlier, this app is sure to bring out the child in every adult as it will take you back to those days when you spent hours in your room with your siblings or playmates, patiently assembling various parts to build the machine of your dreams. Download PLapp and lose yourself for a few hours in the enchanting world of building 3D models!

I also found a demo video in Youtube for the app and in case you want to check it out, here is the link – http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0aIlVJ02Yv8

RingSkin Android App Review

1st December 2011 18 Replies RonF

For the past few days I had been busy looking for an app that could help me do away with that old, boring Android robot from my HTC, yes I own a android too along with my iPhone. I found a new app, running in its first version and I got my hands on it. So lets have a look at it here.

RingSkin can customize the Android call screen and put an end to those annoying spam calls. It lets users make full use of the image galleries and the camera, so that they can receive calls in the way they want. With some impressive images and animation skins, this app allows users to spice things up by adding decorations to them.

Apart from these default animations and decorations, users can set their favorite clips – movie or music videos as their call screens for video ringtones. This app assigns screens in two methods – for groups and for individuals. Therefore, users can assign different individual images for each caller or they can go with assigning a common image to a group, like say a one for mates from school, one for colleagues, family and so on. You get the idea, right?

In my opinion, the customization RingSkin offers for call screens should be default in Android, so as to speak as it also helps users deal with spam callers as it has block-call capability. The UI is well designed and easy-to-use. This app really adds a vibrant touch to the screen while making and receiving calls. However, the ‘Skins’ area would have been a great one if the developers had included some interesting video clips.

The best part is that RingSkin is available for free and requires Android 2.1 or up. There is a pro version for the app, which you can get without coughing up anything additional, by just clicking on the ads and earning 400 points! You can see the ads in the ‘Settings’ option and if you want to check out the pro version of RingSkin click the ads!

You can download RingSkin from the Android Market for free.

EDITOR NOTE: This app no longer exists, so links to it have been removed – note by Christopher

Technology Bloggers

Championing responsible innovation in partnership with the Bassetti Foundation