Best iPhone Voice Memo App: iPhone Voice Memos v. Evernote v. DropVox

Many iPhone users record voice memos to create quick shopping lists, voice memo reminders, communications with co-workers or friends or to record mileage for work or business.

To win the title of best iPhone voice memo app we needed one that would not only create good quality voice memos. We needed one that does so without distracting us while driving, since we often record mileage logs or important memos while on the road. We also needed one that automatically backed up the voice memo to the cloud and included the date and time info without any typing.

iPhone Voice Memo App

At first, the iPhone’s built-in Voice Memos app served us well. Record the voice memo and then sync the iPhone with iTunes, playing the voice memos back on a computer. A Voice Memos playlist shows up in iTunes on a computer. iTunes plays the memos.

The app gives a big distraction-free record button and includes date/time info. But the voice memos need backed up manually. We wish iCloud would save the file and let users access them on a Mac, or the iCloud site. Since it doesn’t we kept looking. We wanted something that kept us from losing memos if the phone got lost or damaged.

Evernote Voice Memos

 

We love Evernote and use it for a many things. Why not add voice memos to the mix? Because it takes too many clicks to create one.

The app records voice memos in a note. Click on the plus sign to create a new note and then tap the record button to start recording a memo. The app automatically uploads the memo to the unfiled notes section of Evernote with GPS info attached along with a date and time. For mileage records, this data helps a lot. We just don’t like all the clicks. The buttons are also too small.

The Evernote community adds a lot of functionality, so we hoped someone had a great app that recorded and saved notes automatically to Evernote. We found Cloud Record. The app works with Evernote and has a big record button, but it requires a few clicks before the note gets uploaded. To create one voice memo and upload it to DropBox, Evernote or Box requires 8 taps (including opening the app). That’s too many, and distracts users too much while driving or doing other tasks.

DropVox for DropBox

With DropVox users can connect a DropBox account, choose the upload folder for voice memos and then record away. The app saves them in DropBox as soon as the recording ends, and it only takes three taps including opening the app. Turn on the auto record feature that starts a recording every time the user opens the app and it only requires two taps.

When the user needs to create the mileage report or listen to memos, open the DropBox app on the iPhone or other devices or look in the DropBox folder on a computer.

The app has a nice big record button makes it easy to tap to record memos, even while driving. The app keeps eyes on the road instead of on a phone. The date and time of the recording show up in the WAV file title and file information.

Other voice recording apps do a better job of recording audio or offer more features. Only DropVox has all of our must have features including:

• One big button to record
• Distraction free recording thanks to a big record button and only two or three taps
• Automatically upload for back up or listening on other devices or a computer
• Includes date and time info in the file

The 50 Billionth Downloaded iOS App Gets Reviewed

There’s a fun game available on both iPhone and Android that we think could become the next Draw Something phenomena. It’s fun and addictive, but needs one major change before it could hit that level of popularity. And at least one other person seems to like it, since Apple just announced that the app became the 50 Billionth downloaded app in the iOS App Store, earning an Ohio resident a $10,000 gift card for downloading the app.

The game works when two friends randomly say a word. They must eventually find a common word. When they do, they win.

Since the app marked the 50 Billionth app downloaded we expect many iOS customers will check out the game. It’s free, so there’s no reason to not try it out, but we’re extremely disappointed with the game’s freemium funding model. It’s a shame a better app didn’t mark this milestone for Apple.

Apple said that over 800 apps get downloaded each second. The store started in 2008 with only 500 apps. They’ve come a long way.

Say the Same Thing Review

Here’s how Say the Same Thing works. Log into the game using Facebook, or sign up for an account. Using Facebook helps with finding people to play with. We tried to find a random player or the play with someone from the OK team, the makers of the game. Both options left us waiting too long for a partner. Finally, a Facebook friend joined the game and we started to play using the Facebook option.

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Each player types a random word into the app. The two words show up on-screen and each user must think of a word that “comes between” these two words. For example, if player one uses burger and player two types the word cheap, they might agree that McDonalds sells cheap burgers and type McDonalds. If that happens, the game ends. However, it seldom goes that quickly. Normally the game goes many rounds with no answer. It can get frustrating and often laugh-inducing.

The OK Go crew that made the game created a funny ad for Say the Same Thing. Their ad shows that users really don’t need the game at all. Just play via text, over the phone or in person.

The game comes free in both the iOS App Store and the Google Play Store. The company opted for the freemium model, which in this case means the game costs nothing, but in-app purchases potentially make them some money. That’s where the game falls short, and as a result will likely not become the next Draw Something. To play, the user spends bananas. As expected, to get more bananas the user must pluck some cash from their wallet and pay for them.

We love the game idea and hope they find another way to fix this one. Charge us a buck or two up front and we’ll recommend it to everyone we meet. Keep the banana cash and we’ll tell all our friends to stay away.

Samsung Galaxy S4 v. HTC One: Feature-by-Feature Showdown Before You Buy

You’ve probably read extensive reviews of the competing Samsung Galaxy S4 and HTC One Android flagships and are still indecisive about which one to take the plunge on, and we’re here to help. Fortunately, for users looking at either top-of-the-line flagships for 2013 in the Android camp, both are great devices and it would be really hard to make a wrong turn. In this review, we’re going to break down some of the key features that distinguish their experiences to help you decide.

With HTC redefining its HTC Sense experience for a cleaner, more modern approach moving into Sense 5.0 this year and Samsung adding everything but the kitchen sink into TouchWiz, we have two radically different experiences. In the end though, owning a smartphone should help you accomplish the tasks that matter most to you while at the same time helping you easily connect to the work and the people you care most about. Let’s take a look at how Samsung and HTC each define the smartphone experience and how they stack up against each other.

Note that this review is not focused on specs–for that, we’ll re-direct you to our Galaxy S4 review and HTC One review.

1. Productivity

Smartphones today are powerful computers housed inside your pockets that allow you to check email, look up contacts, edit and create documents and presentations, and run the numbers on spreadsheets. Manufacturers often pre-load productivity apps and define the productivity experience on high-end phones, so let’s explore which device will make you more productive.

Galaxy S4:

Samsung did a bang up job in making the Galaxy S4 a powerhouse. It comes pre-loaded with a general office suite from Polaris for document creation and editing. An S-Translator app will help linguists master a foreign language and an optical scanner will help users scan QR codes and documents on the go as well as quickly input business cards with the rear-mounted 13-megapixel camera.

Alone, these features are impressive, but Samsung also includes its cloud-synchronized S Notes, which is similar to Microsoft’s OneNote for tablets on the go. S Notes allows users to capture notes via typed text, handwriting, or diagramming  and also allows for quick conversion of written text when you’re in the proper mode. Moreover, for students and business professionals in lectures or meetings, you can also record audio notes and synchronize it to your written or typed notes in S Note similar to the feature on the LiveScribe pen. This feature was was debuted on mobile by HTC, interestingly enough, with its HTC Flyer tablet and the HTC Scribe Magic Pen.

Multi-View windows is another welcomed Samsung innovation that we hope Google will adopt for future Android iterations natively. The feature works similar to snapping two windows together on Windows 7 side-by-side so you can perform two tasks simultaneously. Simul-tasking, as we’d like to refer it, is borrowed by Samsung from the Kyocera Echo and like the Echo, only a few apps are supported at this time.

And if you’re in a meeting and your colleagues all have Galaxy products from Samsung or a Samsung HDTV, you can use Group Play, which enables you to stream your document, presentation, or photos in real time to all devices over WiFi or WiFi Direct. Moreover, if you mark up the slide or highlight a document, all devices will show the changes and anyone on the Group Play conference can create edits or notes, not just the host device.

An included file manager as well as USB on-the-go round out some of the major features that will appeal to power users looking towards their smartphone as a desktop replacement when away from their laptops.

HTC One:

In an effort to simplify, HTC went a little too minimalist and skimped out on the HTC One in terms of productivity features, at least on the Sprint edition. Our editor Josh Smith says that his unlocked One has Polaris Office pre-loaded, so your mileage may vary depending on which version or carrier edition you choose. The pre-loaded productivity folder that was pre-created on my Sprint unit has a couple of pre-loaded apps, including a Task, PDF Viewer, and Dropbox. Not much here, though users who want a documents viewer and/or editor for Microsoft Word, Excel, or Powerpoint files can download any number of free or paid apps on the Play Store.

Not pre-loading a slew of apps may be a good thing for HTC, however. Unlike the Galaxy S4, there is no USB on-the-go and no memory card slot on the One, so conserving storage for things that matter to the end user is likely at play here.

You do get a nice Stocks app for investors, though, on the One.

Update: Upon testing with a different USB on the go adapter, it appears that the HTC One does support this feature. 

Advantage: Samsung

2. Lockscreen & Homescreen

Galaxy S4

Again, lots of powers and tweaks on the Samsung flagship. You can now add pages of widgets to the lockscreen to enhance the functionality of the lockscreen. There’s a page with some apps to quickly launch, which is nice as it allows these low-priority apps to bypass the passcode lock if you have one enabled. If you just want to check Twitter, for example, and don’t care if Twitter is a protected app with your phone’s content through Android’s password security, then you can launch it from the lockscreen quickly without having to unlock your phone. Don’t place important apps in this launcher as it may expose you if someone gains access to your phone.

A widget that I appreciate for the lockscreen is called Communications and Notifications. It’s like the BlackBerry Hub on BlackBerry 10 and aggregates all your messages–from Gmail to your Exchange email accounts, from Twitter to Facebook, from SMS to LinkedIn notifications. This allows you to see your messages and not have to deal about other Android notifications and is a nice way to glance at your messages and deciding if you want to dive into your email app to handle all those unread messages.

Aside from the lock screen, Samsung also added widgets to the drop down notification so you can toggle some of the most accessed settings. It’s a nice tweak so you don’t have to dig through the settings menu and allows for a more visual UI.

Fuji X-E1 Review: A Retro Camera That Inspires

The Fuji X-E1 is a retro-inspired camera that borrows its good looks from rangefinder designs such as those from Leica. And not only does the X-E1 look good, it also has the imaging power to deliver some stunningly good images, a vast assortment of manual controls that inspires photographers to switch away from automatic shooting, and great handling handling. In fact, despite its small size and APS-C camera sensor, Fuji says that the custom X-Trans CMOS sensor in the camera is good enough to compete against larger full-frame sensors in professional DSLR bodies. Does the Fuji X-E1 live up to its hype to inspire photographers to master the art of photography?

Design

The Fuji X-E1 is Fuji’s second interchangeable lens camera following the more expensive X-Pro 1. The camera has a magnesium alloy top and base plate that forms the rangefinder-style aesthetics. The rest of the body, unfortunately, is wielded from plastic construction, so you do get a solidly built camera that’s at the same time a bit light and hollow-feeling. This isn’t a bad thing as many people who move from a DSLR to a mirrorless system like the X-E1 do so to reduce the weight of their gear. And to show the solid construction, Fuji proudly displays its ‘Made in Japan’ heritage on the rear of the body.

As an enthusiast level camera, offers a lot of manual controls that really inspires the photographer to think before clicking. With an electronic aperture ring on the lens, a shutter speed dial and exposure compensation dial that’s a bit recessed into the top plate to avoid accidental adjustments, the X-E1 will definitely help users move away from shooting in automatic or iAuto mode.

Plenty of manual controls

You also get a pop-up flash on the top, which is a tilting variety so you can bounce the light off ceilings to get softer lighting, as well as a hot shoe.

You can tilt the flash to angle the light to get softer lighting.

To keep costs down–the X-E1 retails for $999 body-only or $1399 with a kit zoom lens–Fuji omitted the hybrid optical and electronic viewfinder design and instead chose to go with a higher resolution electronic-only viewfinder. In use, I didn’t miss the optical viewfinder much from the X-Pro 1, and the electronic viewfinder is sharp and bright, with a diopter adjustment wheel on the side.

The EVF offers a nice compromise on the X-E1 by allowing for a live view of the scene and accurate framing for image composition. However, the downside is that in low light environments, the EVF–and to a smaller degree the rear LCD–would lag for quick-moving subjects.

Gone is the hybrid optical viewfinder and electronic viewfinder on the more expensive X-Pro 1. On the X-E1, you have an electronic-only viewfinder that is higher resolution than the electronic mode on the X-Pro 1. A sensor automatically switches between the viewfinder and the rear LCD when you bring the camera up to your eyes, or you can toggle between the two with a button on the back of the camera manually. The EVF also gives users a more accurate frame when compared to the OVF system.

On the back, you get flat buttons that offer a nice, responsive click when you press them. The buttons actually feel more tactile than the shutter button at the top, which I thought felt a little bit mushy and you do have to press in with some force to autofocus before pushing in really hard to capture the image.

Simple, flat buttons are intuitively placed. You do have a nice thumb-rest on the right side as well as quick access to the Q Menu. You do get a live view through the rear LCD, which measures a smallish 2.8 inches.

The rear display is a non-touch variety that’s relatively low resolution, by today’s camera standards given the X-E1′s premium pricing, and the screen is covered by a plastic panel rather than glass; this will require extra care as plastic is easier to scratch than glass. The screen is a non-articulating kind so you can’t tilt it up or down for high or low shots. On the Olympus E-PL5 and select Sony NEX series camera, the articulating screen is helpful for when I am shooting low to the ground. I can hold the camera lower and angle the screen up so I don’t have to crawl on the floor to get a low angle shot. Similarly, for higher shots when I am holding the camera over my head, I can angle the screen down so I can see what I am shooting. Not so with the X-E1.

Rear scroll wheel and directional buttons for navigating menus.

There’s also a scroll wheel on the back, which is used to select and scroll through menu items. To move between the menu items, users will need to use the directional pad. I found the menu and UI to be quite intuitive, and Fuji bundled the most useful features into its quick menu, which is accessible by pressing the Q button on the rear right.

On the front, there is a shallow grip and the camera is wrapped in a rubbery vinyl material that aids in ergonomics. It looks like leather, but it’s not. An LED auto-focus assist lamp is situated relatively close to the grip, so sometimes your fingers will cover the lamp if you’re not careful in how you grip the camera.

Hand grip on the front of the camera aids in handling. The grip is somewhat shallow. Users can opt to get a grip accessory or a half-case to improve ergonomics.

There’s also a switch to move between single-point autofocus, continuous autofocus, and manual focus mode. Autofocus is good for a mirrorless camera, and though there are plenty of reports on the Internet that ding the Fuji for slow autofocus speeds, I didn’t experience much of that in good or low lighting in my test of the camera.

Switch to toggle between auto-focus and manual focus modes.

Plastic doors hide the battery and memory card compartment as well as a second compartment for ports. The build of the plastic door feels less sturdy than the plastic that Olympus uses on its compact E-PL5 mirrorless system.

Plastic door for the battery and SD card. Plastic material does feel flimsy compared to the magnesium alloy top and bottom plates.

For ports, you do have access to a standard mini USB port (no proprietary port, unlike on Olympus, which is a plus), an HDMI port, and a 2.5mm microphone input port for video recording.

Standard ports are hidden behind a door.

The camera can also handle video recording up to 24 frames per second for 1080p footage. As a stills-first camera, there isn’t a video button to quickly record video on the camera; instead users will have to dive into the software menu to activate video recording.

Kit Lens

The kit lens offers an 18 – 55 mm zoom (27 – 82.5 mm in 35 mm equivalent range) with an aperture range of F2.8 at the wide end that goes up to F4.0. The zoom is surprisingly good, giving clean images and does offer users nice subject isolation leading to background blur, or bokeh.

Kit zoom lens offers surprisingly good performance with sharp images, bokeh, and wide aperture ranges.

The lens also offers optical image stabilization as stabilization isn’t built into the body like on Olympus’ mirrorless range. At this time, Fuji is including OIS into its zoom lenses, but stablization isn’t included in the non-zoom, or prime lenses. This is fine as Fuji’s primes are fast with great aperture controls.

Toggles for manual aperture and OIS located on lens barrel

The manual focus ring on the zoom lens is done electronically, which means users won’t get the distance marking on the lens itself. You can get accurate distance reading on either electronic displays.

Ridged rings offer manual adjustments. From left to right: focus ring, zoom ring, and aperture control ring.

HP Envy x2 Review

The HP Envy x2 is a Windows 8 tablet that includes a well designed dock to take the Envy x2 to full on productivity mode with an extended battery and a full size keyboard.

Despite the lower power Intel Atom processor the Envy x2 runs a full version of Windows 8 with access to the desktop and the ability to run traditional Windows apps.

For all it delivers, the HP Envy x2 is a bargain at $599 — offering a good tablet experience and a good laptop experience to users who want a portable device that can switch from tablet to laptop in seconds.

Pros Good design Long battery life keyboard dock adds ports Price Full Windows Expandable Storage

Cons Not a performance powerhouse So-So resolution No USB 3.0 No Backlit keys

HP Envy x2 | $599
HP Envy x2 Review Guide Hands On Design Display Performance and Hardware Battery Life Audio Quality Camera: Video and Photo Samples Apps Is it Worth $599 Gallery	Buy the HP Envy x2 $599 at HP

Hands On Video

We take a look at the HP Envy x2 shortly after launch to get a close up look at the hybrid notebook. HP calls the HP Envy x2 an ultraportable, but doesn’t get to call it an Ultrabook or Ultrabook Convertible. We also show off the docking mechanism that connects the tablet to the keyboard dock and battery.

Design

The HP Envy x2 is a well built tablet and notebook that pulls off use as a tablet and as a notebook. Typically devices like this feel better as a tablet or better as a notebook, but the hinge and high-quality of the dock firmly snap together to feel as if it is a single device.

HP designed the Envy x2 with curved edges that offer a good fit when holding the tablet in your hands. The 11.6-inch screen is bigger than the iPad, but the size and weight of the tablet portion are just right for long table tuse sessions. The device is easy to hold in one hand while using the other to control it, and surprisingly works good in portrait and landscape mode.

HP includes a Micro SD card slot in the tablet section of the Envy x2 and a headphone jack. The speakers aim out the bottom of the tablet.

When snapped to the keyboard dock, which is also made of aluminum, the Envy x2 adds a spare battery, full size keyboard and an HP touchpad. The tablet docks and undocks easily with a small snap on the front of the machine. When connected users gain a full size SD card slot, two USB 2.0 ports and an HDMI out as well as a charging port.

The design is sleek and very slim, but opening the device when in notebook mode can be difficult thanks to a very small lip. This will require users pick the device up, rather than lift with one finger.

Envy x2 Display

The HP Envy x2 features an 11.6-inch display, which is a great size for a tablet and laptop hybrid. The 1366 x 768 resolution is low for a tablet, but about average for a notebook. When it comes to use as a notebook, there is little to complain about, but when used in tablet mode the lower resolution can become a factor. This is because we commonly use a tablet closer to our eyes. After using the iPad mini for months this is not a deal breaker, but it would be nice to see a higher resolution panel in the x2.

The display, as expected, features touch, so users can quickly reach up and control the device in laptop mode and for full control when in tablet mode. Touch is accurate and the display supports Windows 8 gestures very well.

When in tablet mode the display switches from landscape to portrait quickly, and also offers a lock to keep the display in orientation while reading a book or playing a game from the Windows App Store.

The display is bright enough to use in many settings,but the screen is too glossy to use outdoors. The hinge opens only so far, limiting the angle and amount of adjustment when using the HP Envy x2 in notebook mode.

Envy x2 Performance

The HP Envy x2 features a 1.8GHz Intel Atom processor, 2GB  of RAM and a 64GB SSD. While the notebook runs a full version of Windows 8 with  access to desktop apps, there is not enough power to handle every app or task.

Performance is where the Envy x2 falters.For many tasks the HP Envy x2 delivers a good experience, but there are issues when it comes to using processor intensive tasks and when using the x2 for long periods.

Using the Envy x2 in the Modern User interface of Windows 8 is fine, and casual games work great. The same goes for watching movies stored on a Micro SD card. Watching a streaming video on YoutTube falters at 1080P, with stuttering that was not related to buffering or connection speeds.

Things start to slow down when we use FireFox and other apps in the Desktop mode. While typing in FireFox the computer will occasionally have trouble keeping up with what we type, which can lead to typing errors and frustration. This issue was not as bad after a restart, but still a problem.

The Envy x2 features Beats Audio and two downward facing speakers. The speakers provide decent sounding music, but turning up a busy song like The Phoenix by Fall Out Boy produced undesirable crackling noises. Dropping the volume down by 25% proved helpful in removing this, so users who want to listen loud should pair this with a good set of headphones, which benefit from the Beats Audio enhancements. When docked the speakers in the tablet still do the work, and sound isn’t impeded by the dock. Volume control is conveniently located on the back of the tablet.

Facebook Home Review: Surprisingly Useful but Lacks Widgets & Folders

Earlier this month Facebook announced Facebook Home, an Android launcher, an app that takes over the phone’s home screen replacing interfaces like HTC’s Sense or Samsung’s TouchWiz.

We tested it on a Samsung Galaxy S3, one of only six compatible phones, and the results are surprising.

Facebook Home sounded like a nightmare that only diehard Facebook users would want.

Mark Zuckerberg and Facebook said Facebook Home puts people first, but it sounded like it put Facebook first. Yet, Facebook Home grew on us after a short period of testing.

Facebook Home is a free app available on the Google Play Store. Users with a compatible phone can install it in minutes for a trail run, and quickly uninstall Facebook Home if it’s too social.

Facebook Home Interface

Notice the toolbar at the bottom

Hit the home button to show the user’s profile picture in a tiny circle and the cover flow of recent status update images from friends. From this screen users can swipe left or right to show other status updates or they can Like someone’s status, comment on it or view other Likes and comments.

Tap on the screen again to show the profile pic. Tap and hold on it to open Facebook Messenger, which pops out to the left, Apps from the icon above the circle or the Facebook app via the right most icon.

Tap and hold profile pic to show these three options form Facebook Home

The App screens won’t allow users to place widgets on them, nor will the main home screen. Android power users will probably turn Facebook Home off for this reason alone. Users can’t organize apps with folders either.

We like the simple four by four grid, familiar to any smart phone user. The first screen shows all of our apps scrolling vertically. Facebook needs to add folder organization to the mix. The company is planning monthly updates, so hopefully we see this soon.