App of My Eye » Music

Eliss

Art — Wed, 02 Sep 2009 07:25:23 +0000

Just like me, Eliss has been celebrated as of late. However, unlike me, this extraordinary quasi-music puzzle game wasn’t the object of ridicule by relatives at his own birthday party because it gained a couple of pounds and added some gray hair. No, instead, Stephane Thirion’s micro masterpiece has gained worldwide accolades for its originality, accurate touch-sensitive control, and addictiveness. Proclaimed by some as the ‘killer app’ upon it’s release and therefore, further thrusting the iPhone into the spotlight as a viable gaming platform, Eliss showed us something different yet familiar simultaneously. Start off combining or splitting ’like’ planets (based on color) to fit different sized ’squeesars’, which then bloom like cosmic flowers that shoots off stardust you can wipe away. However, you have to be careful not to accidentally touch ‘unlike’ planets or the harmony of the universe becomes unstable and could eventually collapse. Makes sense? I didn’t think so too at first, but it starts making sense once you get into the game. Then, you will understand why, even in it’s visual simplicity, it has garnered a heaping helping of praise since its debut. For me, while it’s 25 levels have entertained me countless times, the game symbolizes that some things do get better with age. So, I can still hold out hope that the same can be said about me… until my next birthday! Price: $3.99.

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iLike Challenge

Art — Wed, 29 Jul 2009 06:46:15 +0000

When I was 10 years old, I had this great idea of putting condiments like mayo, ketchup and mustard in squeezable bottles. Inspired by NASA astronauts, I figured if they can put peanut butter in a toothpaste tube why not condiments in squeezable plastic bottles. Nothing became of it obviously or I wouldn’t be here writing this review. I would be rich, b***h! A decade later, shopping at a Safeway supermarket with my college girlfriend, I experienced my first out of a handful of regrets as an adult as I stared at a new product being showcased at the end of the aisle: a squeezable Heinz Tomato Ketchup bottle. I was face to face with my idea as someone else’s profitable reality. I vowed right there and then that it would never happen again, but unfortunately it has with iLike Challenge, an addictive Name That Tune-type of music trivia game with over a 1,000 questions. I know what you’re thinking, “Dude, there are plenty of apps like that…” Yes, there is plenty of competition in this particular space, but the clean and simple interface of iLike Challenge is what makes it the one to beat as I can get into and out of a game quickly as well as engage friends on the spot in a 2-player face-to-face game on the same device. Plus, as I would have wanted to do if I made the app myself, you can purchase any song that you’re listening to on the spot through iTunes. That’s right: it connects to iTunes if you want any particular song in the game. I would really hate these guys if I didn’t love their app so much. It’s money well spent for music lovers, young and old. Price: $2.99.

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SomaFM Player

Art — Fri, 12 Jun 2009 09:26:44 +0000

It has been an obvious trend: music television not playing any videos, radio stations with a music format that spins more dupes in an hour than a 32MB Rio Diamond, and the slow adoption of satellite radio in every day life. So where do you go to hear something new, something fresh other than college radio where you literally have to be sitting on campus to even get a signal? With SomaFM Player, now listen to 14 unique channels of listener-supported, commercial-free, underground/alternative radio broadcasting from San Francisco on the go rather than just on the web. Released with better audio quality, more station info and updated news than the original webapp. Plus, a list of the last 10 songs played helps you bookmark a particular artist and song for later purchase through iTunes. All in all, a wonderful resource for music that you’ll probably never hear through commercial outlets. So please donate or buy this app for your iPhone or iPod Touch to show your support. Price: $3.99.

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Slow Down Music Trainer

Art — Tue, 26 May 2009 07:21:12 +0000

We’ve written before about how we aren’t musicians over here. However, Slow Down Music Trainer is a very useful application, which can slow down or speed up your favorite song, all the while maintaining the pitch. This enables aspiring musicians to pinpoint the note, beat, chord or lyric to play or sing a song correctly. Plus, you can easily change the key of a song helping aspiring songwriters and producers to infinitely tweak a tune saving time and maybe even some money. High-end PC trainers can go for upwards of $200, but this app is way inexpensive and perfect for bands still in their salad days waiting for their big break. Price: $9.99.

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Pianofly Pro Synth

Art — Thu, 21 May 2009 06:22:23 +0000

By no means are we musicians nor pretend to be. So, when requested by miniMusic to eval their app (check out video here) for possible review, we weren’t sure how to approach it. On a whim, I launched the app thinking it could help me choose someone for the assignment. The problem was I couldn’t put the damn thing down. First, there are 88 keys like a real piano when sliding effortlessly from side to side. Next, there are 80 presets, which can be customized in a variety of ways. But the most addictive features are bending the pitch and changing the modulation. Do I even know what I am talking about? Well no, not really. But it’s a lot of fun, impeccably made (zero hiccups or lag) and a steal for the price. Price: $1.99.

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