Available on iPhone, iPod and iPad

Mysteryville 2 is Nevosoft’s sequel to their original puzzle game release in 2011. The story begins with Laura Winner (journalist and physic) returning to the Mysteryville for a vacation. When a town is called Mysteryville it’s no surprise that Laura’s vacation is cut short and she finds herself investigating the disappearance of her missing friend. The game is primarily a hidden object game. Different levels require players to find either a specific list of items, spot the difference, match pairs items etc. However, there are also several mini-games that involve tasks such as unscrambling letters to find hidden messages or rearranging images. Ultimately, these puzzles reveal clues to help Laura to unravel the mystery of her missing friend and the strange goings on in town.

Overall this game has some great points. It reinvents the hidden puzzle game and the different mini games helps to keep it interesting. There are 22 levels to complete and as you finish a level various trophies are unlocked. Game progress can be shared in a number of ways including Facebook and Twitter. The storyline is pretty good but personally I would have liked some voice actors instead of reading the lines to add a little something to the story. The graphics are very detailed…in fact it made some of the objects difficult to find (however there are hints available if you’re not in the mood for too great of a challenge). The controls are ok. You just tap the screen to select an object. Occasionally, I found I was missing my target and suffered a “random tapping penalty” as a result. Scrolling across the screen also registered as a mistaken tap but fortunately this didn’t result in a penalty. The music is good but I wished there was a bit more variety as it started to wear on me as I moved onto the higher levels. Finally there is no tutorial or instructions. In fact, when you start on chapter one it says “help find Lorna’s glasses” but you are actually supposed to find the items that match the outline on the left hand side of the screen.

There is a free “lite” version of this game that I would definitely recommend trying before you buy.

From Nevosoft:

Available on iPhone, iPod Touch, iPad

Poor José has lost his bottle of Tequila…your mission is to reunite them in this new puzzle app from Artlab Interactive. In this sliding block game, gamers help José chart his way through desert and space perils such as scorpions, cacti, planets and of course aliens by moving different shaped blocks around the board. Points are awarded based on how many moves and how long it takes to complete a level. I found that levels offered the right amount of challenge but wasn’t so difficult that it was ridiculously frustrating.

The free version of this app offer 15 levels to try and has Game Center, Twitter and Facebook integration. However, the full version ($0.99 iphone, $1.99 ipad) offers 55 more levels and 4 more worlds to experience. It also allows gamers to create and submit their own levels. (I was not able to test these features as I was reviewing the free version however they looked interesting). Overall this game is entertaining and is worth trying the free version before committing to the paid version.

I honestly don’t smoke pot and I’m lucky enough to not have anyone close to me suffering from pains that medical marijuana could alleviate, but I still think it’s ridiculous that the vast majority of states in the U.S. of A view the use of medical marijuana as a crime. Quite frankly, if it were up to me, I’d legalize marijuana and regulate it the same way alcohol and cigarettes are regulated. I believe people have the right to get high, just like they have the right to get drunk and/or light up a cigarette, and on top of that a whole lot of medical suffering would be curbed as a result. And then there’s the avalanche of tax dollars that would follow. Sigh.

I’m not running for public office here, but this issue is something to think about. And since it’s 4/20, you might as well think about it today! Think about why a plant that has both recreational and medical applications is still being demonized in modern society. Doesn’t make sense, does it?

Available on iPhone, iPod Touch, iPad

There are many medical apps that claim to make life in the medical world a little bit easier (for better or worse there’s even an app that allows doctors to monitor their patients from the comfort of their iPhone…but I’m getting side tracked). Unfortunately, many are limited in their scope, cluttered or VERY expensive. ERres suffers from none of these issues making it a very handy little app.

Information is broken down into eight broad categories: toxicology, basic med concepts, drugs, pediatrics, resuscitation, trauma, CDRs and intubation. These categories are further broken down and include topics ranging from IV drip dosages, orthopedic trauma, strokes and asthma medications to procedures related to drug overdoses, postpartum hemorrhages and sepsis just to name a few (and I mean a few…I’d still be typing if I had to list all the topics covered by this app). This app also features a search function to make finding topics even faster.

This app would be perfect for not only residents but anyone who is just starting out in the “real world” of the ER and wants to quickly find info about a particular topic or procedure. However, this app is not meant for the average House or Grey’s Anatomy lover…you do need some medical background knowledge to understand (or even need) this type of app.

Overall, I would recommend ERres to anyone who is relatively new in the medical field as a good tool to help brush up on emergency procedures/topics.

Available on iPhone, iPod Touch, iPad

Have you ever wanted to run your own hospital but don’t want to deal with the pesky issue of having to take years of schooling? Then this might be the game you’re looking for. Hospital Frenzy is a new simulation game where you run your own hospital….from hiring staff to assigning them duties to buying equipment and of course…curing patients.

Like many hardcore gamers I have been playing games since my hands were able to hold a controller…I have “saved” the world, rescued damsels in distress, and carried out spy missions for my country. But I have a confession to make…I also like simulation games. Hospital Frenzy is one of the better non Sims branded games I’ve tried. The tutorial takes you through the basics of hiring staff, managing patients and buying equipment. As the game progresses, more patients must be cured, staff need further education etc. before you can move on the next level. Gold, silver and bronze ribbons are awarded depending on how quickly the level is completed. The game also features some pretty unique illnesses including “carrot top” and “windy pops”, cheesy (but still amusing) jokes that scroll along the bottom of the screen and entertaining consequences if you fail to cure your patients.

Occasionally, the game did significantly slow down when I had a lot of characters on the screen but I never experienced any freezing or crashing with the latest update.

Overall, this game is fun and addicting and I would recommend giving it a try (the best part is  the developers offer the first 5 out of 25 levels free in the lite version of this game).

Available on iPhone, iPod Touch, iPad

Do you have lots of random factoids about all things technology or sci-fi related but never knew what to do with all that info? Now you can show off your geekiness with this new app. With over 300 questions covering topics from Star Trek and Star Wars to science and technology, there’s enough variety to keep almost everyone’s inner geek entertained.

This app features five different modes including quick test, biggest geek, and fastest geek (single player modes), 2 person buzz in and 2 person pass and play. My favorite single player mode is the biggest geek where players try to answer as many questions correctly as they can (apparently there’s a special message when you beat the app…sadly I never made it that far). This mode does offer two chances to pass and you start with two lives, so if your knowledge in a particular area is lacking..not to worry you can always use a lifeline. The two player buzz in mode allows you to put your geekiness to the test with a friend by doing what the description says…buzzing in and answering the question before the other player does.

This app does have good instructions for all game modes and even offers game center integration. The graphics are simple but good and the sound effects are reminiscent of the 80s (gotta love the 80s!).

Overall, this game is pretty fun…questions only reappeared on occasion and the variety of questions kept the game interesting.

Available on iPhone, iPod Touch, iPad

Picture this: You’re sitting in a fancy bistro, you’re scanning the grossly overpriced menu, and then it hits you… you’re not in the mood for a $28 wild mushroom risotto with black truffle butter. All you really want is a damn cheeseburger. So, while all the yuppie snobs around you pretend to be impressed by 3 star food at 5 star prices, you quietly take out your iPhone and open up Scratch ‘n Lick… and you start licking. You’re licking your iPhone. Or, if you truly don’t give a F, you lick your iPad the way a dog licks a plate of bacon grease. And you’re LOVING it! You’re nearly convulsing. It tastes so good you’re practically in tears.

Well I exaggerate a little. OK FINE… I exaggerate a lot. But hear this! Scratch ‘n Lick is the real deal. It comes with three flavors included (banana, peach, and watermelon) and you actually CAN taste them. It’s faint, and it’s not exact, but you can taste them.

As with any app that makes re-donculous claims, I approached this one with an open mind and low expectations. I was actually expecting it to be some take on those old Scratch ‘n Sniff stickers from prehistoric times. Remember those? I actually still have a notebook full of them stashed in my dad’s basement.

Getting back to the point, Scratch ‘n Lick is NOT a rehash of an old sticker fad. It’s a radical new use of technology that I’m not even sure Apple has considered, and it can turn a Retina display into a “tastable” surface. Yumo Ronze, the maker of Scratch ‘n Lick, wouldn’t go into much detail about how it works but she did say that so far it only works on the Retina display (sorry Android users), and she also threw around some very scientific-sounding terms, possibly just to confuse me. It worked. Suffice it to say that the only word I understood was “oscillation”, which I guess makes sense because when you’re in the licking phase of Scratch ‘n Lick, the screen’s surface does seem to have some buzzing or vibration in it. It’s weird, and it’s also tasty!

But wait, it gets weirder! Scratch ‘n Lick comes with three flavors, but you can buy more flavors with in-app purchasing. The extra flavors are decidedly less healthy than the fruity defaults, but they seem fairly standard at first… that is, until you get to the bottom of the Buy Flavors screen. Cheeseburger, taco, french fries… okay sounds good… and Top Ramen?? Huh? Not sure if Miss Ronze is aware, but for the same price as this app you can buy like 20 Top Ramens and taste them for real!

And the crown jewel of the flavor store is the recently deceased KIM JONG IL. I’ve tasted *everything* in this app and to be honest the cheeseburger, taco, and fries all kind of taste the same. But North Korea’s legendary “Dear Leader” is different. I don’t want to ruin the surprise, but it’s different than all of the others. No, it doesn’t taste like a man or a corpse… not that I know what men or corpses taste like WINK WINK… but it definitely has its own, uh, “flavor”. Yumo confessed that she added it just to be funny, but apparently she worked very hard on engineering the taste.

If you think you’ve seen “everything” in the App Store, you need to try this. I wouldn’t call every flavor a home run, but the fact that you can taste anything on your iPhone or iPad without spilling something on it first is simply miraculous.

Available on iPhone, iPod Touch, iPad

This is a translator in your pocket! In today’s increasingly multi-cultural world, language is often a barrier to conversation even in your own city. SayHi is a shockingly accurate and useful tool. Now you can communicate with someone who speaks another language and not feel stupid….

….If you have a vacation or business in another country which doesn’t speak your language, don’t despair, SayHi will get you through the most awkward spots. Choose your language, then one of the 23 most common languages spoken around the world and you are ready for an encounter. Ask for directions, what is good on the menu, where someone is and on and on…

We are in a wonderful age when you can buy a universal translator for $3. $3 ! Seriously? This is a gift of technology. Accept it gladly. You never know when you will need this to smooth the way to a new friendship or solve a problem.

From: SayHi LLC.

Available on iPhone, iPod Touch, iPad

Need a quote for anything or just plain curiosity? There’s lots to find in Quotes Folder. In fact, it is deceptively simple yet packed with all kinds of goodies. There are more than 60,000…

… “quotes, maxims, aphorisms, and proverbs to read and share in four languages, and many more features like personal quotes, random quotes, favorites, daily quotes, full integrated search, and many sharing options.”

You can set the app to load a new random quote at what ever time you choose or go into the extensive library. Or you can add your own unforgettable pearls of wisdom and share very easily. A no-brainer at a buck!

From Nestor Borgo:

Available on iPhone, iPod Touch, iPad

Have you ever seen those cool photos of someone in mid air where the person’s motion stops and the camera spins around them? Now you can do the same kind of thing with SpinCam. It’s stupid simple to take the pictures and all you have to do is follow the prompts….

Focus on your subject and rotate standing or sitting in one spot or circle the subject. The program takes continuous still shots. You track your progress with a closing circle at the bottom of the screen. It tells you when you are done and it stops on its own.  Preview it and if you like it, keep it. Then share it on Facebook or put it in your photo folder and email it someplace.

This is only a buck, no wait, it’s free! Seriously? For something as intricate as this to be made so simple to use, it is a gift. Don’t even delay and buy it right now! If you are a shutterbug or a pro, you will love this. Imagine including this in a slide show or a presentation about one of your products or a favorite project. The possibilities are as open as your imagination.

From Spot Metrix:

Available on iPhone, iPod Touch, & iPad

The snow has melted, the trees are budding and that means time to start to tackling all those landscaping projects you’ve been putting off. If you’re like me you don’t mind getting your hands dirty but figuring out how many bags of soil is needed for my raised garden beds or how many rolls of sod it will take to cover the backyard is a pain. Now there really is an app for that…the Garden Buddy promises to help people with “common garden math” and even includes a vegetable gardening guide.

Overall, this app is great for people who want an easy way to solve garden math problems on the go.

From Island Apps:
Leave a comment below and you could get this app for FREE… preference will be given to those who *promise* to post an honest review in iTunes! If you are selected to get a free code, we will send it to you via Facebook.

Available on iPhone, iPod Touch, iPad

Do your kids like having a story being told to them? By strangers in a tiny video screen? Mine do! However, they (age 4 & 5) lost interest quickly after the story was done. They didn’t want to stick around to answer questions, but I think this is geared for children over age 7 or 8 who…

… have longer attention spans. It’s ok though because the app does what it says it will, it tells an engaging story to children.

There are five apps in the series (all $4.99) and they only feature one story from a different story teller in each one. For the price, I am not impressed. It is pricey for parents who have lots and lots of educational apps to choose from. True, they are noted story tellers in their own circles, but it doesn’t warrant the cost. There are no gimmicks, no sound effects, just the storyteller holding the child’s attention through the expressive use of words, gestures, facial expressions and direct eye contact.

There are three interactive activites within the app that encourage the child to tell the story in their own words, reassemble the storey from selected bits and to listen and repeat selected phrases.

All in all, an interesting learning experience for school-age children.

From Day Two Productions: