This week we look at Australian developer Syncode's app for wirelessly syncing your notes, and a very stylish expense tracking app called Bills.
Synotes
Just a few weeks after the release of their copy-and-paste manager app, the folks at Syncode are at it again with an efficient note syncing app. To put it simply, Synotes can wirelessly sync - the vital function that the iPhone's inbuilt Notes app lacks. It adds a couple of extra features that would otherwise be welcome additions to Apple's app too. There are quite a few similarities between the Synotes and Syncopy apps, the largest being the way that your notes and clippings are synced - but while Syncopy requires an extra app for your Mac to manage clippings, Synotes includes access to a MobileMe-style web interface to deliver notes to your Mac. It's practically perfect for accessing your notes from anywhere, since you can view them on any computer with an internet connection at any time. I'll stick to reviewing the app itself, but if you decide to purchase Synotes, make sure you check out the web interface here.
Since it's a note-taking app for the iPhone, it's already presumed that*Synotes will feel much the same as Apple's aforementioned Notes app. Notes is one of the most used apps on my iPhone, which is what makes Synotes' contrasting interface so refreshing. Notes are typed against a bare white background in clear white text. Better yet, the font you use to create them isn't Marker Felt - which, for me, lost it's novelty as a note-taking font very quickly. Once completed or saved for later use, Synotes automatically pushes it up onto their server in a matter of one or two seconds. An important note for the uninitiated: the golden ?S rule taught to new Word/Pages users also applies to Synotes on the iPhone - save regularly if a long note is being written or work will be lost.
Synotes extends the subtle note-taking app further than just wireless syncing. A list of created notes is presented by default when the app is opened, with the ability to add custom icons to each note. Writing out an equation? Choose the "123..." icon to easily identify the contents. It's only a small addition, but I've found it to be surprisingly useful with a large number of notes. The app can even filter your notes by the icon chosen. The order they're presented in is also up to the user - manually, by last modification, date created or icon. In terms of the individual notes themselves, Synotes presents you with a history of previous versions and an Email note feature. Again, these are all small but vital additions to a useful notes app.
When I reviewed Syncopy, I complained about the need to create an account upon opening the app. It's no longer mandatory with Synotes, but I'll admit that it does make more sense to have an account now (especially considering the web access features). I still hate accounts, but I see most Synotes users utilising this part of the app to enable some of the better features. I'm impressed with Synotes' interface and functions, and I can honestly see myself using it quite often to quickly transfer a note from iPhone to Mac(s). It's understandable that they're reluctant to, but if Apple would open up the SDK a little more to allow importing of notes directly from the Notes app, Synotes could become an even better app in the future.
Version reviewed: 1.1
Price: $2.49
Developer: Syncode
Compatibility: iPhone & iPod touch running 3.0 or later
Size: 1.2MB
Category: Productivity
App Store
Bills
Paying bills isn't exactly an activity anyone looks forward to. They're boring, repetitive and often quite difficult to interpret (Optus, I'm looking in your direction). Bills may just change that a little. It's got such a lovely looking interface that expense tracking and bill paying might not put quite a look of absolute dread and horror on your face.*It works just like you'd expect it to - bills can simply be added to the app, much like the way you'd create an event in the Calendar or a new contact in the Contacts application.
Familiarity is important in any user interface for ultimate ease-of-use, and while Bills' stylish interface isn't reminiscent of anything else I've seen so far, the way bills are created is self-explanatory right from the start. What's most impressive about Bills' UI, however, is the summary screen shown in the screenshot to the left. The extensive use of colours and icons makes the whole experience enjoyable. Even the built-in calendar layers on the same wood gradient in the top half of the screen, giving the app much needed consistency.
Just like the above reviewed Synotes, Bills has it's own MobileMe-like web interface for accessing information created in the app online, and it can be found right over here. This means compulsory account creation at launch of the app, which should really only be required for web access. What frustrates me most about the app is it that it just can't function when a 3G or Wi-Fi signal isn't available, making*Bills completely useless without a connection.*Having been overseas recently (where a data connection on an international iPhone could just put your phone bill into five digit figures), nine times out of ten I'd be unable to connect up to the internet easily or cheaply. To be fair, that is my only major letdown with the app from my experience with it, and I can see the use of having expenses constantly (and securely) uploaded to the Bills cloud.
Bills lets you choose from custom icons when creating expenses - the entertainment category, for example, is accompanied by (what looks like) an Xbox 360 controller, which just like in Synotes, makes identifying items from the summary screen easier. Bills also has Push Notifications built right in to the app, so when expenses aren't paid on time, you get notified outside of the app straight away. It's a great use for the Push Notifications system, and I've already found it incredibly useful on multiple occasions. I've never used such a beautiful expense tracker on any platform before, so I really see no reason not to recommend Bills to anyone looking for a wonderfully simple and downright gorgeous billing app for their iPhone.
Version reviewed: 1.0
Price: $2.49
Developer: PoweryBase
Compatibility: iPhone & iPod touch running 3.0 or later
Size: 5.3MB
Category: Finance
App Store
iPhone App Reviews - Synotes, Bills