I will definitely have my father check this app out!

(Click on image above  to check out the application on iTunes)

Eye Glasses gives iPhone users some optical help | The Loop

“Eye Glasses is a brand new app from Freeverse that can help keep you from squinting. It’s like having a pair of virtual bifocals.

Using the camera built into iPhones, and optimized especially for the iPhone 3GS, Eye Glasses uses the built-in camera to magnify imagery by 2x, 4x, 6x and 8x. You hold the object about five inches away from the iPhone and the camera will magnify it.”

(Via The Loop.)

I am curious how well Eye Glasses works compared to some of the photo apps that have the ability to digitally zoom in.

It seems to me that this would be an excellent application to include on a device for students who need text and images in large print formats. The only drawback would be the need for the iPhone instead of the iPod Touch since the iPod Touch does not have a camera yet.

Maybe soon?

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When I write for edu.Mac.nation I write from various perspectives. In some posts I am “wearing” my teacher tie, in other posts I am “wearing” my daddy hat, and in the mix you can find me “carrying” my Mac backpack full of tips and tricks. In the [Apps for Toddlers] series I feel that I wear both the “daddy hat” and the “teacher tie” at the same time. This post on matching games for the iPhone/iPod Touch serves both “daddy hat” and “teacher tie” purposes…

My son loves matching games. He also loves animals and singing his ABC’s for us anytime that he has a chance. For the past few months he has been playing “AniMatch” with his grandfather, Gary the “Boomer”, and recently he has been playing “ABC Match” with me. Both are created by the same developer, Lima Sky, and both are excellent values at .99 cents.

Below are links to the iTunes Store for both applications, a video of my son playing both games, followed by in-depth reviews from Scott at iear.org, my father (Gary the “Boomer”), and myself.

(“ABC Memory Match” iTunes Link- )

(“AniMatch” iTunes Link-)

(Check the bottom of the post for a YouTube version)

Below is the video and review of “ABC Match” recently done by Scott…

I Education Apps Review – I Educational Apps Review – ABC Memory Match – Review #4

“Program Functionality: A – Easy to use and it has never crashed on us. The score at the end might not mean much to kids this age so perhaps a younger scoring system would be more appropriate.

Purpose: A – My daughter has really enjoyed this application. The best part of the application is the linking of capital letters with lower case letters. The program effectively helps kids work on their letter recognition and combines it with a memory game as well.

Overall Educational Value: B – I think this would be an interesting tool for kindergarten teachers for assessing their students. I would give this app an A if a teacher / adult could manipulate the program a little by telling it what letters to use.”

(Via iear.org.)

I concur with Scott on the program functionality, purpose, and overall educational value of “ABC Match”. The application has been extremely stable and my son was able to quickly adapt to the game due to his experience playing “AniMatch”. The mixture of lowercase and uppercase letters demonstrates the developer’s close attention to detail. The buttons are easy to push, the sound clarity is crisp, response time is prompt, and the colors/images are vivid and engaging. I agree with Scott that an options pane would be useful for customizing the letters. It is possible that this could be something coming in the future. Even if it does not, the ease of use and immediacy of getting right into the game is positive considering some applications in the app store attempt to provide extra customization but in the end clutter or decrease usability.

edu.Mac.nation Score: 4.5 out of 5

This weekend my father sent me an email containing his reflections (that he wanted to share with you all) on “AniMatch” from his “Grandpa hat” perspective…

Of all the titles I’ve held during my lifetime, none is more important than “Grandpa.” All the aches and pains of life vanish when my little 2-year old grandson Noah comes running through the door. When we’re together, it’s not long before he wants to see my iPhone and discover what apps I’ve added for him.

His favorite, at least on my phone, is Animals Memory Match aka “AniMatch”. He jumps into my lap and away we go matching animal after animal. I sometimes give the wrong name to the animal and he quickly corrects me.

The developer, Lima Sky, has done a wonderful job of keeping the cost low ($.99) and the game fresh. I’ve lost track of how many times they’ve added new animals

The one thing that the developer couldn’t program into the game is the celebratory “arm pump” that my grandson gives after each match.

No parent or grandparent of a young child should be without “AniMatch.”

by Boomer

edu.Mac.nation Boomer Score: 5 out of 5

Thanks Dad!

I have seen how happy my dad is when he plays this with my son.

What do you think?

Have you found any other matching games or Lima Sky applications that you find educational, entertaining, or both?

Please share in the comments and let me know what you think!

Also, if you are a teacher, parent, or application developer interested in educational applications make sure to check out the I Educational App Review Network (Ning). We are asking questions, sharing ideas, and discussing thoughts related to using iPhones/iPod Touches for educational purposes. Come share!

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photo credit: ten safe frogs

“Necessity, who is the mother of invention” was never more true when I needed a new ringtone and was not able to find the one I needed (or had hoped for). All of the stock iPhone ringtones lacked that special “something” that I was looking for… the progressive type of ringtone that starts soft and then gets louder over time.

ring…ring…ring…ring

As with many baby boomers, my hearing is not as good as it once was. I usually carry my iPhone on my hip with the loudest ringtone I can find because I can’t always hear it under my topcoat. The other day I was at a meeting and I placed my iPhone on the table as I usually do. At a particularly quiet point in the meeting the phone rang and the volume made most of us at the table jump. Adjusting the volume or toggling the silent switch can solve an abrupt volume problem such as this. However, if the ring started soft and gradually increased in intensity I would not need to worry about adjusting the volume or forgetting to turn off the silent switch!

My solution: create my own ringtone that gradually increases in volume. 

If the phone is out on a table or desk, I’ll answer it quickly. If it’s under my coat, it will get louder until I answer. 

Even though I was able to create my own ringtone, should this be something that a “boomer” like myself assembles or purchases elsewhere?Or should a progressive ringtone be a standard feature?

Since my experience has shown that most seniors want their phone to simply RING, a progressive ringtone might be something Apple works toward including in the future…(most likely after copy and paste, flash, video capture, etc….)

What do you think?

[Observations From A Boomer] iPhone Apps: TextLater

No related posts.

What is “Observations From A Boomer” all about?

Recently my son (Mike the edu.Mac.nation guy) asked me if I would like to contribute an occasional iPhone App column. He wanted opinions that were seen through the eyes of a baby boomer, or as I like to call it, the “older demographic.”

I was reluctant at first because I’ve always been a PC type of guy and have had little exposure to Apple products. Over the last year or two, my son has enlightened me to the quality of the Apple product line, so I decided to jump in. My first baby step to Apple came by the way of an iTouch. I loved it. It held all the media I needed. My Apple world suddenly changed when my son told me to update to the 2.0 software so I could download and purchase other applications. It wasn’t long before I was out of the iTouch and into my own iPhone.

Fast forward a bit…I was addicted. I bought more apps than anyone should and the bulk of them were only on the phone for a day or two. It got to the point that I was expecting iTunes to call and check on me when I went a day without a new app.

So this leads me to my first “observation” here on edu.Mac.nation. As a boomer, in my 60’s, I’ll try to share my experiences with some of the apps that are still on my iPhone.

TL (TextLater) Version 2.0 from Skidmore Apps

Prior to my retirement I was a broadcast executive who always relied on a staff and a supportive wife to keep me on track. They told me where I had to be and when I had to be there. As a retiree and consultant, well… it’s up to me to keep track of myself. This is not such an easy thing to do.

Even though I am always making notes to myself I still manage to miss the things that I was supposed to do. To-do apps didn’t help me much because I wouldn’t always check them each day. Calendar apps were good but they too only work when you check regularly. E-mail didn’t work for me for a number of reasons.

One day a client wanted to change an appointment for later that afternoon. My wife sent me a text message that popped up on my phone. Then it hit me. Why doesn’t someone make an app to send text messages at a scheduled time in the future? A quick search of the App Store and there it was, TextLater by Skidmore Apps.

This is, without a doubt, my favorite iPhone App. It does exactly what it says it will do. It’s simple to use. Just prepare the message (1), set the date and time (2) and choose “ME” as the recipient (3).

Now I know that some have had issues with TextLater under certain conditions, but I believe the developer is addressing them. I personally believe that for a boomer like myself, who wants to receive a message at a certain date and time, TextLater is the answer and it’s only 99-cents. Can’t even get a cup of decaf for that!

So for anyone else out there who is from the “older demographic” …what application for the iPhone is your favorite?

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