SleepKeeper
The saying goes that there’s an app
for that!” and here’s an app that could be used for good and evil. Sleep Keeper
is the useful yet creepy app that allows users to take incremental photos and
sound recordings, used mostly to capture snoring or other strange bedtime
habits like sleep walking or stealing covers.
The app then takes these images and
recordings and compiles them into a time-lapse video that lets you see how the
night played out. The increments can be set to 5, 7, 10, 15 or 30 minutes and
the duration of the incremental sound recordings can be set to 5, 10 or 15
seconds. There’s even a graph lab thrown in that organizes sleep sessions into
a timeline and records those stages of sleep rather than actually measuring
sleep patterns.
While in some cases this could be very
useful for restless or overly deep sleepers it’s also a little creepy and not
something most people necessarily want to see. It could also be a tool for
inadvertently waging war between you and your partner or used for rather
unscrupulous behaviour that is certainly not condoned here!
Those looking to use it for its
intended purpose might find the intermittent flashes from the camera annoying
and interrupting, but it could prove valuable for those who snore, move a lot
or sleepwalk during the night. On the flip side, you could try and capture that
ghost that’s been making a lot of noise!
It’s fairly simple to use and includes
a brief picture tutorial to get you started. The app uses the rear facing
camera so you’ll need to place it and view before deciding on the final
placement to ensure you capture what you’re after. The flash is pretty bright
and there is a sound, but the constant use means you might need to plug it into
a wall socket that could prove difficult in terms of placement. And if you
achieve the desired result and you want to spruce it up a little, you can add
music and share your sleepy compilation via email, though who would want to see
it is anyone’s guess.
SleepKeeper has been designed as a
tongue in cheek, entertaining and self serving app that could provide help to
those with strange sleeping patterns and habits. It’s a little stalker-ish and
bizarre if in the wrong hands but it could also settle, or create, a few
arguments too.
Cristiano Ronaldo
If there was ever going to be one
football/soccer star that had his own app, it would be Cristiano Ronaldo.
There’s no question the Real Madrid goal machine is a superstar but from the
outside looking in, his ego is as big as his status as one of the world’s best
players.
Thankfully, his ego isn’t so big that
this is a paid app. It’s free (unlike Kobe Bryant!), and he isn’t even the
first sportsperson to release his own official app so maybe he is a little more
humble than some people (me included) give him credit for. But this is the
latest app of it’s kind and as good as any to generally highlight what most of
these sports/lifestyle apps offer.
This particular app keeps you updated
on all things Ronaldo from his goal scoring exploits to interviews to his
official tweets with exclusive pictures and videos not seen anywhere else. It’s
basically VIP access to the Portugese star without having to fight your way
through the throng of reporters and photographers following his every move.
Users have the option of switching
between his official news feed or tweets with the ability to leave comments
with Facebook and Twitter integration. Clearly not all the posts are from the
man himself and he probably has one or two media managers handling it for him.
But from the messages and tweets I read, he seemed to engage with his fans
where possible.
There is also a Fan Wall where anyone
and everyone can send out gushing messages and tributes or interact with other
fans. It’s also here that you can enter competitions for exclusive signed
Ronaldo merchandise. Users also gain access to a range of videos from special
goals, to ads featuring Ronaldo and personal messages to his fans.
There is a games and apps tab but this
only serves as a window to buy both the CR7 Freestyle and Heads Up games
already released. Although this is free, it would have been nice to see some
games included to keep some interest going beyond the usual updates, photos and
videos.
This is most definitely an app for
Ronaldo fans but beyond that you might find it a little self indulgent. He’s
not the first or the last sports star to have an app and it’s clear this will
become standard for any sportsperson in the near future. But there is nothing
ground breaking about it and while their priorities lie on the field or arena,
apps like this need to evolve to keep anyone’s interest beyond a few months.
NatureTap
This is the type of application that
will appeal to lovers of animals and the outdoors alike. NatureTap is a very
in-depth “nature education tool” that was developed by Green Mountain Digital
LLC. If you have ever been curious about a wild animal that you discovered
while hiking or have just been curious about a specific animal in general than
this is the App for you. There is a goldmine of information here just waiting
to be discovered. The application is free to download but there are specific
“animal packages” that you can purchase within the application (usually only
0.99 USD each).
The free version of NatureTap will
give you access to a small amount of bird species and if you sign up (for free)
by entering your email and creating a username, you can get free access to the
Insects and Spiders pack. The other packages available right now for purchase
include; Wildflowers, More Birds, and Reptiles and Amphibians. The company will
be constantly adding new packages available for sale with subsequent updates.
NatureTap gives you an amazingly
organized database with large, easy to view pictures and a plethora of
information about the given animal or flora. You can view animals according to
their shape, species, and color. Where applicable, you can even preview a sound
of the animal, giving you that much more detail. On top of that, you will get
interesting things like the stats of a given creature and even its migratory
patterns and residence. This can be viewed on a map of the United States, which
shows shaded areas and an easy to follow key. So far there doesn’t seem to be
maps for other parts of the world, but that will surely come with time.
The application even includes neat
games like “match the sound” or “memory,” and offers both timed and un-timed
versions. These games will help you to easily remember and identify the animals
and flora you are interested in. This can also be fun for the younger members
of your family and will help them learn about creatures in a way that is
entertaining to them.
NatureTap is the type of application
that will appeal to any wildlife lover, but it can also be a very helpful tool
when taking a trip or hiking in an unfamiliar territory. You will always have
information about poisonous animals and fauna at your fingertips and this could
potentially save a life if you come into contact with something foreign. The
mass amount of information, organization, and easy to see pictures will allow
you to identify things quickly and efficiently. If you’re itching to learn
about the wild then check out NatureTap.
