Boasting a tagline of “When your friends won’t tell you the truth, the Ugly Meter will”, the app has been in existence since 2010. Only gaining such popularity with an updated version, Ugly Meter Pro, the app has recently been featured on Jay Leno, Howard Stern, and the Today show. It was the top selling app in China for weeks, too. The app takes your picture and then scans it for the level of beauty. It takes into account your face’s contours, proportions, and symmetry and rates it on a scale of 1 to 10.

The higher your score, the uglier you are. If you receive a low score, you’ll be extolled for your beauty and how your hotness even makes the sun jealous. If you receive a higher score, you’re chided for being “ugly” with quips about being so ugly you’d even make a glass eye cry. Parents worry about the app hurting children’s already fragile self-esteem and that it could lead to more instances of cyber bullying.

Created by Jo Overline and Ryan Allen from Arizona, the app feeds our obsession with vanity, according to Overline. Whether we admit it or not, we’re all worried about how we rank physically. Costing $5 for the pro version, the app has earned nearly half a million dollars since being featured on Howard Stern. Creators combat accusations that this app will lead to more cyber-bullying and body image issues in teens by saying it’s meant to be used for fun and in good spirit.

We don’t need this app to prove that we, as a society, are overly worried about physical appearances. With every new fad diet on the market, the millions of products created to improve appearances, and the rate of cosmetic procedures being performed each day, it’s obvious we put a lot of value in our looks.

Not to harp on cosmetic procedures as with the right person, they really can lead to a better body image and higher sense of self worth. If you were considering a cosmetic procedure, or have now started considering one to improve your Ugly Meter rating, start by looking into less invasive procedures. Instead of diving in headfirst with implants, liposuction, or a surgical facelift, look into a thread lift, laser resurfacing, or a few Botox injections to help you lose few years from your face. These will all make a world of difference without the same post-surgery side effects.

The app bases its rankings on predetermined and standardized definitions of what beauty is. Reportedly, when Brad Pitt was entered into the app, he received a score of 8. What does that mean for the rest of us? As long as the app really is used in good spirits and isn’t taken seriously, then it’s really not a big deal. But all the worried parents may just have something to worry about with their insecure teens if Brad Pitt is only two points away from the ugliest a person could be.

Editor’s Note

Thanks to Evan Fischer for this quest post. He is a freelance writer and part-time student at California Lutheran University in Thousand Oaks, California.

Ugly Meter™
Developer: Dapper Gentlemen

Rated: 9+

Price: $0.99 Download

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The new and improved app supports most blogging platforms including WordPress, Tumblr, Blogger, Type Pad, and Drupal but has been reported as most compatible with Blogger and WordPress. Featuring much easier ways to include links, pictures, videos, and a rich text mode to allow you to preview your posts, Blogsy makes it possible to blogging very user-friendly with an iPad. It also allows rich text formatting by simply highlighting the text and selecting the format you want from the tool bar.

Creators claim that Blogsy is better than the other options out there, including the perfectly adequate WordPress app, because it was created with a touch interface design in mind. Blogsy‘s new integration with Picasa, Flickr, YouTube and Vimeo makes for quick photo and video uploading. With the “drag and drop” feature in Blogsy, you can easily get content, pictures, text, and videos into a post by simply dragging it from any website and dropping it into your blog posts.

With Blogsy, users can also write and send emails with rich text formatting. So for blog platforms that allow email-to-post posting, Blogsy will still be useful for bloggers on sites not yet supported by the app.

For WordPress users, Blogsy might just become their new best friend. In a WordPress blog you can create and edit an HTML or visual version of posts using your iPad. Blogsy also grants users full access to the WordPress Media Library API, so the app includes support for Custom Fields and Featured Images. With one of WordPress’s thousands of themes and your iPad, you can create and run a beautiful and professional blog even when on the go thanks to Blogsy. In an ElegantThemes review, a user claims the extra money for a premium theme is well worth the one time payment if you’re truly passionate about blogging and since Blogsy only costs $5 from iTunes, you’ll have plenty of cash left to invest in of those premium themes.

Blogsy is sure to be only the next step in blogging technology. With several platforms to choose from and within each platform, so many different choices, the world of blogging doesn’t seem likely to disappear anytime soon.

The CEO of Blogsy, Lance Braton, said he and his crew created the app because as bloggers themselves, they were fed up with the other options available. They grew tired of still depending on their desktops or laptops for content management when creating blog posts from their iPads. They saw what a powerful blogging device an iPad could be with a more user-friendly app and voila, Blogsy! Rating: 5/5 stars.

Editor’s Note

Thanks to Evan Fischer for this quest post. He is a freelance writer and part-time student at California Lutheran University in Thousand Oaks, California.

Blogsy
Developer: Fomola

Rated: 17+

Price: $4.99 Download

1. Follow PocketFullOfApps on Twitter.
2. Like PocketFullOfApps on FaceBook.
3. Tweet the following:
   • I just entered to win Warm Gun from @pocketfullofapp for #FREE! RT and follow @pocketfullofapp to win! Check: http://bit.ly/IhYqzM
4. Win!

Contest ends on April 26th, 2012. Promo codes work internationally!

We’ll be picking the winners on April 26th then announce the winners and send out all the codes accordingly. Good luck!

Mass Effect

Also, by popular demand, the following features have been added:

• Manual Aiming – Use your own skills to take down enemies. Try the new manual aiming feature via the Options menu, or check out the improved responsiveness of the default “tap-to-aim” function.
• New Mission Rewards – Earn bonus credits and boost War Assets if you score 3 stars on every checkpoint.
• Paragon & Renegade – Now your facial scars and biotic colors will change with the choices you make—are you good or evil?
• Optimized for the new iPad – Discover high-resolution gaming like never before with smoother performance and Retina display enhancements!

Mass Effect Infiltrator is available on the App Store for $4.99.

MASS EFFECT™ INFILTRATOR
Developer: Electronic Arts Inc.

Rated: 9+

Price: $2.99 Download

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Vito Technology

Star Walk allows users to easily locate and identify 20,000+ objects in the night sky. The 360-degree, Multi-Touch star map displays 3D spinning models of constellations, stars, planets, satellites and galaxies currently overhead from anywhere on Earth. With the latest update, users can enjoy unprecedented graphics and interactivity, achieved with the iSight camera and Retina Display on the new iPad. “The Retina display and quad core graphics allowed us to dramatically increase the number of objects on the screen,” explained Vito Technology CEO Victor Toporkov.

Solar Walk is an interactive 3D Solar System model with 10 planets (including a dwarf planet Pluto), 20 moons of the planets, 10 satellites orbiting the Earth, over 100 of the biggest stars, and hundreds of named places on the Moon, Mars, Earth and Venus. The Time Machine feature lets users speed up time backwards or forwards, moving planets and satellites according to their real trajectories.

The breathtaking high resolution interface brings the Solar System to life on iPad. Each planet is portrayed in detail, including their internal structure, and the Sun’s glowing and fiery animation will captivate users. The new model of the Earth, with atmosphere effect, as well as detailed models of artificial satellites, make one feel like an astronaut flying on the International Space Station (ISS) and watching the Earth from above.

The Star Walk and Solar Walk apps are available for $4.99 (iPad) and $2.99 (iPhone, iPod Touch) from the App Store.

Hello again my friends.

Well, it seems like some of the new content I added into the last one was sort of a success, but it seemed like that people wanted pictures. Which I will agree with, and I will add into this tweak week. I also found out that people loved the humor I added, which is pretty awesome. I have been talking with Aaron about what else we should do with tweak week, and we both agreed that we should try out themes. So this week’s theme is “Safety”. We will be showcasing all the tweaks that will improve security throughout the iOS.

People always getting into your iDevice and posting things on your social time-line without your permission and you do not want to add a passcode right in front of the lockscreen? Well, there is a way around that and that way is called “AppLocker” developed by Ori. AppLocker allows you to lock certain apps with a passcode so that others can still use the iPod, but certain apps are on lockdown. People are quite nosy when you give them your iPod, so that’s why you need to put your applications on lockdown so that  they can still use it, but they just cannot open your locked applications.

AppLocker is $0.99 in Cydia

Recently heard of those applications using and storing the contacts from your iDevice and you do not want them to access the contacts or anything else? Protect My Privacy from Support. It allows you to protect your UDID, Location, and Contacts. When you go into the app that installs on the homescreen, you can choose where the location is at and you can randomly generate the UDID. It’s helpful when you don’t want your iDevice registered on some App Store application.

Protect My Privacy is Free in Cydia

Ever had those secret photos from that party you went to, and you didn’t want other people to see it in your Photos app? There is a special tweak for that, and it’s called “PhotoAlbums+” developed by SpiritOfLogic. In iOS 4 you can add new albums and move pictures, and in iOS 5 you can move pictures instead of copying them. You can put a password on either the album or the private album selection. So whether you you want to move pictures or add a password to some photos, PhotoAlbums+ will work for you.
PhotoAlbums+ is $4.99 in Cydia

Twitter: @pfoa_foozelz

Mediocre

Now, you can play this highly acclaimed, award winning, wet physics puzzler with amazing gameplay from any of your Apple devices and save your progress in the iCloud. This way, you will be able to continue from the level you left off anytime, anyplace.

The inhabitants of Titan, a moon of Saturn, lived out their days peacefully in their straw hut homes – until space tourists from Earth crashed through Saturn’s rings, bringing a storm of flaming asteroids crashing down on the Titans. To combat the widespread fires threatening their homes, the Titans have built a massive water cannon. Players must adjust the height and angle of this water cannon mounted on a crane to fight fires, move obstacles, spin wheels and activate traps in this challenging water-physics based puzzler! But squirt carefully as you will run out of water and the less water you use, the more drops you earn!

The game has amazing water physics and brain-teasing puzzles that become more and more complex during its 72 levels. Use the power of your water cannon to move blocks of ice and boulders, spin giant cogs, and depress traps in order to reach and extinguish every last fire.

Sprinkle is now available on the Mac App Store at a $4.99 price point. Enjoy!

Sprinkle
Developer: Mediocre AB

Rated: 4+

Price: $4.99 Download

In order to become a licensed clinical social worker (LCSW) you must meet several requirements. Mainly you will have to complete specific coursework (pertaining to child and spousal abuse, substance abuse, human sexuality, elder care, and so on) as well as a set amount of supervised work time in the field you want to specialize in. Of course, like any licensed position, you must also pass an exam to demonstrate what you have learned. This is the LCSW Standard Written Examination, and while it’s probably not as hard as taking the bar exam to practice law or the handful of tests needed to become a CPA, it’s still a major written test that will determine whether or not you are fit to become a social worker.

Luckily, there is an app developed by social workers that was made to help you study for and pass this exam. LCSW Exam Review ($2.99 on iTunes) is a flashcard app that contains a “comprehensive review covering every subject you need to pass the exam”, according to the description. You can choose from topics like Growth and Development, Theory, Diagnosis, and Ethics and take advantage of nearly 800 study questions. In addition, you can add comments to flashcards and even create your own cards to fill in gaps or include material that you think might help you study. Although this app will not stand in for your actual coursework and you may still want to use study guides as well, it provides an excellent mobile supplement to help you refresh your memory and study for the LCSW Exam.

And if you’re forging ahead and shooting for a master’s degree in social work (like an online MSW), you may also want to check out the Social Work Master’s Exam Prep app ($4.99) to help you study for the LMSW exam. While this app could also help those looking to become a licensed clinical social worker, and you may want to download it simply to supplement your own education, it’s really meant for students that are moving towards an MSW. So you may not want to muddy the waters until you have first passed your LCSW Exam.

Editor’s Note

Thanks to Evan Fischer for this quest post. He is a freelance writer and part-time student at California Lutheran University in Thousand Oaks, California.

Special Features of Galaxy on Fire 2 HD include:

• Exclusive HD version specifically optimized for iPhone 4S and iPad 2.
• All 3D models rebuilt from scratch for console-quality visuals.
• Assets, such as jump gates and asteroids, feature even more textures and up to four-times the original resolution.
• Individual texture sets for all 30 spaceships including diffuse, normal, and specular maps in High Definition.
• Enhanced background images and resolution on space environments and planets for a crystal-clear gaming experience on iPad 2 and iPhone 4S.
• Additional light sources for atmosphere and breathtaking realism.
• Additional OpenGL shaders and post effects as well as heavily revised explosion, engine flare and muzzle flash special effects.
• Native support for HD resolutions of 1024 by 768 pixel (iPad 2) or 960 by 640 pixel (iPhone 4S).
• Synchronisation of save games via iCloud and Open Feint.

You can download Galaxy on Fire 2 HD from the App Store right here for $4.99.

Galaxy on Fire 2™ HD
Developer: FISHLABS

Rated: 12+

Price: $9.99 Download

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iPhonso

Gekko is now available for $4.99 in the U.S. App Store and is similarly priced in other regions.

About iPhonso

iPhonso.com is a mobile development studio based in Zurich, Switzerland. It was founded in 2010 by mobile technology veterans Vikram Kriplaney and Sebastian Vieira for the purpose of creating fun, innovative and easy to use applications for mobile devices.

Gekko
Developer: iPhonso GmbH

Rated: 4+

Price: $2.99 Download

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