iPhone Weekly Digest: Robot Meets Synth, Online Shopping, Games and More
Left: Amazon Mobile. Right: Bebot.
It’s time for our weekly digest of tiny iPhone reviews, courtesy of iPhoneTiny.com, with some extra commentary exclusive to Cult of Mac.
This time, we review Bebot, Buster Red, What’s On Reading, Amazon Mobile and Numeric Paranoia.
APP OF THE WEEK
Bebot: Part robot, part synth. Cute noise-maker for kids, with a robust, exciting synth for musicians beneath. 5/5 $1.99 http://is.gd/7i8fs
Buster Red: Bullet-hell shooter. Great comic-like graphics. Not great slowdown, brevity & control. 2/5 $0.99 http://is.gd/6Snvs
What’s On Reading: Well made events listings app for Berkshire town. Lacks search, but usable and responsive. 3/5 Free http://is.gd/6So0r
Amazon Mobile: Workmanlike Amazon client. Good for search/purchases. No browsing. 3/5 Free US: http://is.gd/7ezpR UK: http://is.gd/7eztk
Numeric Paranoia: Path-finding puzzle game with puzzle and arcade modes. Fairly engaging, but a tad repetitive. 3/5 $0.99 http://is.gd/7eHkr
Aside, perhaps, from Amazon’s workmanlike but limited client, Bebot didn’t have a great deal of competition for ‘app of the week’, but it would have won even in a stronger line-up. The musical toy/instrument rivals TonePad Pro for addictive qualities and fun, and it’s also surprisingly Apple-like in many ways.
Ignoring the rough (and not very Apple) interface, Bebot is built in ‘layers’. On the surface, you have a robot that makes electronic farting noises, which should please the kids. However, double-prod the icon at the screen’s bottom-right and you gain access to synth presets, controls and effects. With practice, the app moves from being a quirky little novelty to a surprisingly robust and exciting four-note polyphonic synth. Presets can be loaded and saved, and, as the following video by Jordan Rudess shows, the app is very versatile in the hands of a skilled musician.
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