Welcome to our weekly installment of Picks of the Week at iSource where we provide our expanded coverage of Apple accessories and applications Here we will promote our favorite iPhone, iPad, iPod, Mac and Apple TV related items, as well as bring you occasional tips and tricks. Hopefully many of our favorite items will also be of interest to you. Please feel free to comment on our selections, and suggest picks of your own. Check out this week’s picks after the break
Pyramix (v1.4)
Picked by: Jay
This week, I’m recommending the beautifully designed word game, Pyramix. Imagine dumping 18 letter tiles on a table, randomly arranging them in rows of 6, 5, 4, and 3 letters, and teased with a number possible 3-letter, 4-letter, 5- and 6-letter words there are. As simple as it sounds, that’s Pyramix.
Intriguingly, Pyramix shows the changes in possible word combinations as you move letters from the lower triangular-shaped rack to upper triangular play board. So when you see and play a word, such as “CORPSE” in the picture above, you may find there are no 4-letter words possible with the remaining letter tiles. There’s just enough strategy, skill, and hints in Pyramix that’s it’s fun to get a best time (mine is 0:56 seconds) and yet challenging enough (what do you do with two “J”s?!)
Instead of dragging tiles around, moving a letter requires an awkward (especially on an iPhone) two-step process: either tap and highlight the tile you want to move, then tap the space where you want it; or tap an open space to highlight it, and then a second tap on the letter to move there. Since the highlighting is subtle, it’s easy to lose time trying to move letters to spot you want.
Despite the short learning curve, Pyramix is a fun word game, particularly on the iPad.
($0.99) iTunes Link
Aelios Weather (v2.0.1)
Picked by: Thomas
Aelios is a bit of a tricky weather app to discuss, since it never really seems to be in any hurry, and most people like to check the weather right before they head out the door. In addition to this, Aelios is an iPad-only app, and most folks I know tend to ask Siri or their Emailberries how cold or warm it is.
So what is Aelios really trying to accomplish here with its whizz-bang interface, snazzy animations, and smooth cross-globe panning? And why does it only show actual forecasts when you tap on the name of the place you’re viewing, instead of simply showing the weather by default?
The best I can do is to compare the app to sitting down and playing with an actual globe – panning it with your finger, wondering about city names and locations, and what the weather and time of day might be like over there. At its best, Aelios can feel like borrowing a satellite for a moment, just to check the temperature.
The app achieves all of this ponderous world exploration really nicely by providing a lens through which to see the world. Although it can take a few moments to become accustomed to its layout, Aelios shows the current time, location, meters above sea level, and how many hours of daylight the place will see. There’s also a search bar in case you simply want to know how cold it is in San Francisco.
Aelios feels like one of those apps that’s supposed to be more inspirational than useful. Its gorgeous UI doesn’t lend itself to being immediately useful or informative, but it looks great in screenshots, and is fun to simply swipe and tap through. I wouldn’t actually describe Aelios as a weather app, but it’s certainly one of the more innovative iPad apps I’ve played with in a while.
($4.99) iTunes Link
iPad2 Smart Cover
Picked by: PatrickJ
When I first heard about the iPad 2 Smart Cover I thought it was bit of a cheesy, gimmicky sort of idea. I imagined it being clumsy and getting in the way when all I wanted was to use my iPad 2. I didn’t see much need for its ability to automatically sleep and wake the iPad 2.
I bought one on launch day of the iPad 2 – not because I really wanted one, but just figuring it would make for good reviewing fodder, still feeling convinced I wouldn’t like it much. My first few days with it I had very mixed feelings about it. I found I did quite like the automatic sleep/wake feature, but I wasn’t too keen on the way it folded back and didn’t stay in place automatically.
And then after around a week with the smart cover I realized it had become mine and my iPad 2’s bestest pal. It kind of snuck up on me but I started realizing I didn’t like the smart cover – I flat-out loved it. And 8 months later I still do. My iPad 2 nearly always has a smart cover on it – the only exceptions being when I’m taking it out and about and I opt for a more protective case, and even then I’ll often opt for a back cover case that works with the smart cover.
I originally bought a leather version of the smart cover (navy blue) and it has lasted well (with some minor fraying at the bottom center) and still works great. When Apple recently refreshed the range of colors and models I bought a dark gray polyurethane model. I’ve only had it for a few days, but it works just as well as my leather one so far.
The smart cover has become (as Thomas first expressed it to me) very much like part of the iPad 2 – not an accessory or something extra. I love the automatic sleep/wake feature – and now find it a horrible inconvenience to have to ‘manually’ put the iPad 2 to sleep or wake it up. Yeah yeah, I can hear you all saying ‘First World problem’.
Price: $39.99 for the polyurethane models in a range of colors; $69.99 for the leather models in a range of colors
Clear-Coat Skin for the iPhone 4S
Picked by: Renkman
We recently ran a giveaway contest for Clear-Coat Skin Scratch Protectors, and the reader response was awesome. iPhone owners love to show off their devices. They are solid, beautiful pieces of work. However, for many, including myself, the only way we knew how to keep our iPhone’s free from casual scratches and wear in the past, was to put them in bulky cases. Cases have their place, no question there. If you go to the beach, go mountain bike riding, or even boating, chances are you make sure to protect your iPhone with a case of some sort. Now-a-days, though, you can still provide excellent scratch protection for your iPhone without adding bulk, and most importantly, without covering up your glamorous new investment. Clear-Coat Skins for the iPhone do just that. They are of the best quality custom protection you can provide for your device. Now with the introduction of the iPhone 4S, they have modified their original iPhone 4 model to work with the iPhone 4S, too. With their generous 45 day money back guarantee, lifetime replacement guarantee, and free shipping anywhere in the US, you can’t go wrong. Try one today–$14.99/front, and $24.99/full body.
image source: Clear-Coat Skins
There you have it! Hope you enjoyed this week’s installment of Picks of the week. Please let us know what you think, and share with us some of your favorites.
Continue reading:
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- Apple Watch Pre-Order
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- Apple TV now only $69
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