Showing posts with label app. Show all posts
Showing posts with label app. Show all posts

Sunday, April 5, 2009

The Bad Decision Blocker prevents dialing mistakes

Enough of the fart apps -- here's an iPhone function we really need. The Bad Decision Blocker (BDB for short) is an iPhone app that will let you block any of your phone's contacts for a predetermined set of time.

We've all been there -- you go out Friday night, get a few drinks in you, and suddenly calling up your former friend, or a girl you're trying to ask out, or a girl you used to go out with (who decided not to hang out with you any more thanks to all the drinking) becomes something you're suprisingly willing to do. BDB, however, will say no, and keep that contact out of the contact list, until whatever time you'd said it was OK to let it back in. And, presumably, by that time you can be in a more sober state of mind, and realize that you don't need any girl whose idea of a good time is keeping you from having fun. Take that, Susan!

It's helpful for sure. All the program seems to do is erase (and rewrite) whatever contacts you choose in your address book, so you've got to re-open the program after the set time if you want your contacts back. Also, the app doesn't actually block the phone, just the contacts you choose, so if you have their phone number memorized, you might still end up doing a little drunk dialing. But you never know -- BDB might be just the thing to help you leave that old relationship right where it is, or at least come to your senses long enough to not sabotage that new one. It's in the App Store right now for 99 cents.

Saturday, January 10, 2009

Pandora 2.0 [ iPhone ]

Pandora's app was one of the iPhone's best of 2008 on iTunes, and while I've only recently started using it, I have to agree: even over EDGE, it's a great way to get some music you've never heard on the iPhone. And they aren't sitting on their laurels, either -- they've just updated the app to version 2.0, and it's better than ever.

New in this version is the ability to access a progress bar for the songs you're listening to, and the option to create new stations from songs or artists right there in the app itself. It's definitely worth a look [iTunes link], and you can't beat the price of admission (still completely free).

I've followed Pandora from the beginning, and they've constantly updated both their website and their features since they first released -- it's all developed into a really impressive set of functionality for listening to and finding new music. They have suffered some rumors of shutdowns, but hopefully those rumors are just that. Between the remarkable set of functions on their website and this iPhone app, they're becoming more and more invaluable for serious music listeners.