Apps

The cheap virtual reality glasses experience reminds me a little of the early fighter pilot video games of the 80s. After Burner was probably my all-time favorite (I still play it on a home arcade). As awesome as AB was, and it was awesome for its day, I remember even then (years before the movie Top Gun) thinking how much cooler it could have been. Just add a wrap-around high-res screen, simulate a real cockpit view with better graphics, and allow full control of the aircraft in all directions (like a real fighter). Enter VR some 30-plus years later—or maybe what some would call a somewhat passable facsimile. The makings of a much better AB almost. I recently grabbed one of many $20–$30 VR headsets that work with iPhone or Android, and sampled some of the better apps out there (the fighter simulator I tried made me feel sick). After mostly being only mildly impressed with the slightly blurry and jittery experiences, I found an award-winning game that makes the cheap VR thing more interesting again; but it's not a roaring jet fighter game, just a simple platformer called Space Box ($0.99).

I'm always being asked to review (or really "preview") some crowdfunding project with lofty goals but little evidence that those goals will be met. Today's lesson comes from Skully, a promising Augmented Reality motorcycle helmet that would give riders a view similar to that of fighter pilots. Imagine seeing details about your speed and surroundings, even behind you, without having to look down or around. As a motorcyclist, I was really looking forward to this finished product.

If you’ve ever tried using your iPhone or iPad to consult a manual or read a recipe while cooking or while arm-deep working under the hood of a car—any situation requiring both hands—you know how frustrating it can be to constantly have to reach over and flick the screen up to the next section. Enter Face Browse ($1.99). A web-browsing app that helps solve the issue by watching your face. No touch navigation required.

Kanye West seems desperate. He has gone back and forth on making his Life of Pablo album to Tidal and then putting it on Apple Music. He has begged billionaires like Mark Zuckerberg for a billion dollars to let him create stuff. And more recently he has all but groveled with Tim Cook to get Apple to buy Jay-Z's Tidal, a musician-owned streaming service that West is a part owner of. Here's one of the few safe-for-work tweets he has put out:

The Apple Watch is great at many things, but it is not the best at measuring your heart rate. It's not always reading, and when it does, it drains the battery, and still it can be inaccurate. There's nothing like a dedicated heart rate strap and the folks at Wahoo have developed one that is quite smart. The TICKR X ($99.99) is an app-enabled Bluetooth-based heart rate chest strap that could even lower your blood pressure simply because you don't have to worry about battery life! The included coin-size battery lasts 12 months. 

Selfies, even with the benefit of a selfie stick, often have the odd appearance of someone's arm holding the phone (or stick) at arm's length. WowWee, the folks behind some of the most sophisticated toy robots, has a kids toy that is designed to enhance the selfie process. I guess we've reached the point where it's commonplace to have kids with a smartphone, so maybe such an accessory makes sense.

Pokémon Go has invaded the App Store and our society's consciousness, and as with any such trend, there are good, bad, and ugly elements. We've seen the good news—people getting out, socializing, getting exercise. It's even breathed new life into small businesses who have seen increased traffic due to players searching for characters to catch.