Lory Gil

Writer of all things app related, traveler of the space-time continuum, baker of really great cookies. Follow me @appaholik

Checkmark 2 review: this location-based reminder app gets even better

Lory Gil ∙ March 19, 2014

In July of 2012, Christian wrote a very positive article about Checkmark, calling it the app that Reminders should have been. Thanks to location and time-based reminders, the app made it much easier for users to be notified at the right time and place about an upcoming event or task.

Checkmark 2 just launched in the App Store. Not only has the app received a complete iOS 7 redesign, but it also now includes iCloud sync and recurring reminders. Plus, a whole slew of new features make Checkmark 2 the app that Checkmark should have been…

ClearWeather HD brings minimalist weather to the iPad

Lory Gil ∙ Updated January 26, 2018

I’ve gotten a kick out of the fun, simple weather apps that have launched in the App Store since iOS 7 made its debut. Some look like rocket pops. Some look like a graph. Some have almost no information other than the weather. What most of them are seriously lacking, however, is iPad optimization.

ClearWeather HD is a minimalist weather app that shows off your iPad with bright colors, clean lines, and a simple interface and will make your co-workers turn their head…

24me is smarter than your average personal assistant

Lory Gil ∙ March 16, 2014

There are hundreds of getting-things-done (GTD) and organizer apps in the App Store. The problem is finding the right one for you. Everyone manages their time differently. Some work better with very minimalist actions. Others prefer having all the bells and whistles. What about those who sit right in the middle?

24me Smart Personal Assistant is the “Baby Bear” of GTD apps. It is fairly simplistic and easy to use, but has just the right amount of bells and whistles to increase productivity without taking much time to get organized…

Apps of the Week: Brushstroke, Sliver, Faif and more

Lory Gil ∙ Updated October 13, 2018

Nothing says, “Its time for the weekend” like an apps of the week list. This weekend is merely a rest up for the real party that happens on Monday, St. Paddy’s day. Don’t forget your green undies.

If you are sick of green beer, green cupcakes, and goofy green hats, maybe it is time to stop reading Reddit and start playing some mobile games. If you are looking for something to help you detox after Monday night’s debauchery, we have a list of apps and games that will take your mind off of those pink elephants on parade…

Nozoku Rush: is your brain quick enough for this matching game?

Lory Gil ∙ March 14, 2014

When you see the word “math” or “subtraction” in a title, you probably have a preconceived idea of what the game will entail… learning. Most of the time, educational games are synonymous with boring.

Nozoku Rush may be about math, but it is not about learning and it is not boring. In fact, you have to already be pretty good at quickly answering subtraction equations in order to score well…

Swipe and tap your way to the top of the leaderboard with teggle

Lory Gil ∙ March 12, 2014

When touch screen devices first hit the market, the world was abuzz with this new-fangled technology. Tap, swipe, pinch. It was all so new and exciting. Now, it is so common that you don’t even think about how much easier it is to tap a screen than it is to push buttons.

teggle brings back that excitement with a simple game that requires you to tap and swipe your way to an epic point score. The app recently received an update so you can now play against others through online multiplayer and try a completely different game with the new “Squared” mode…

Snip & Chu is a handheld electronic game for the next generation

Lory Gil ∙ Updated April 16, 2018

In the 1980s, handheld electronic games were all the rage. They ranged from clamshell style devices that were later used for Nintendo’s DS, to mini games that you could play on a watch. They featured an LCD screen with pre-set custom designs and a visual output similar to digital watch displays.

Snip & Chu harkens back to the old days with an iPad version of the handheld electronic games that we envied as kids and hoped to see in our Christmas stocking every year…

Brushstroke turns your pictures into paintings you can mount on your wall

Lory Gil ∙ March 8, 2014

Most of the time, filter apps give you some interesting tints, atmospheric frames, or tilt-shifting blur effects. There are even a few that will turn you into a cartoon or pencil sketch. Sometimes, though a photo effects app will really do something special to your image.

Brushstroke is one of those effects apps that completely remakes your pictures into a faux painting. Even more interesting, you can buy a mounted canvas print of your image and hang it on your wall…

Apps of the Week: SXSW GO, CASHFLOW, Cryptocat, and more

Lory Gil ∙ Updated January 27, 2019

This has been a great week for apps and games. New titles are coming out that are exciting, useful, and entertaining. Old titles are getting awesome updates to make them even better than before.

If you are like me, always searching for something new to try out in the App Store, we have a list of apps and games that will occupy your brain cells this weekend…

EasilyDo is a smart assistant that keeps you on top of things

Lory Gil ∙ Updated November 12, 2019

If you thought your productivity app was good at keeping you connected to important information in your life, there may be more out there for you than you realize. Do you get notifications when important Facebook statuses are posted? When you receive an email from someone, can you automatically save it in your iPhone contacts? Can you send birthday wishes over Twitter?

You can do all of that, plus a whole lot more with EasilyDo. Get alerts for drive times, check flight statuses, track packages, auto-text contacts when you leave a location and much, much more, all from one useful app…

AnyFont lets you install additional fonts on your iPhone

Lory Gil ∙ March 7, 2014

If you do a lot of productivity work on your iPhone and iPad, you will likely have come across the issue where Pages or some other app doesn’t recognize a font and will convert it to something else. It isn’t a huge deal, but it can be a pain in the butt if you constantly have to convert and reconvert fonts between your iOS device and your desktop computer.

AnyFont eliminates the “font not recognized” issue by making it possible for you to add any TrueTypeFont (.ttf) or OpenTypeFont (.otf) to any compatible font editing apps on your iPhone or iPad…