Okay, so this app won’t transform your smartphone into a virtual extreme couponer, but anyone looking for ways to make the shopping experience a little easier will soon wonder how they lived without this incredible and comprehensive shopping application. Certainly there are apps that will help you make shopping lists (Evernote, Remember the Milk, and so on) and there are even downloads that will provide you with superior barcode scanners (RedLaser). But the developers over at Free State Labs, LLC have rolled this dual functionality (and then some) into one great app that seemingly provides all the tools a busy shopper might need. Here are just a few great reasons to add to your own grocery IQ with this handy app.

While most people will likely begin by creating their own lists, the app does provide categories to help you get started (bread, condiments, dairy, etc.), and they’re arranged in alphabetical order for convenience. From there you can simply add specific items to each category (wheat bread, English muffins, and bagels under the “bread” heading, for example). And with the barcode scanning app you can even add some of your favorite items directly to the list as you shop, both to tally up the bill before you get to the checkout and to save for future reference. Like most barcode scanners, this feature will not recognize some items (those that shop at national chains shouldn’t have any problems, but anyone who frequents Trader Joe’s likely won’t have much luck with this function). In any case, items that are scanned can be added to your favorites list for selection at a later date (like next week’s trip to the grocery store).

Oh, but it gets better. Have you ever come home with a gallon of milk and a carton of eggs only to realize that your spouse had the same idea (and now you have more than you can reasonably use before the items spoil)? If you both download this free app you will never have this problem again. It allows for lists to be shared and synchronized. So if you’re at the store and your partner can’t get through to you (the ringer on your cell is set to silent again), he/she can simply populate your list with additional items and they’ll pop right up while you’re walking around the store.

Not done yet. You can also add notes to specific items (like when you find them for less at another store) and you can even create separate lists for different stores to stay organized. And the app can sort your list by aisle (rather than item name) to make sure you don’t have to double back needlessly as you wind your way around the store. As if that wasn’t enough, it even lets you know when there are coupons available to print out for items on your grocery list. Of course, unlike RedLaser it won’t inform you when something is available for less at another store, or if it contains common allergens. But you can easily add these notes on your own. And with all of the extra functionality, Grocery iQ beats the competition hands-down.

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.

Grocery iQ
Developer: Free State Labs, LLC

Rated: 4+

Price: free Download

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Some of us manage our time by creating a schedule, making to-do lists, and scribbling reminders on any handy scrap of paper. Some of us have detailed systems of organization to make sure every “I” gets dotted and every “T” crossed. But most of us get by okay just keeping everything stored in the old noggin, possibly missing little things here and there, but basically getting it all done…at least until we forget something really important. And when you have raised the ire of your boss by failing to meet a deadline or the hackles of your spouse by forgetting an anniversary, you might decide that it’s time to rethink your strategy when it comes to managing your time and your tasks. Luckily, you live in an era of mass technological advancement. As the saying goes, there’s an app for that.

In fact, there are a plethora of apps for your iPad when it comes to making lists, managing time, and getting organized. Some are free but offer only limited features and functionality (Wunderlist, Evernote, Errands To-Do List, etc.) while others come with all the bells and whistles that the thriving entrepreneur could possibly want, but at a cost that is fairly steep for an app (such as Things for iPad at $19.99 and OmniFocus at $39.99). So it seems you’re either sacrificing functionality or dropping a ton of dough (unless you decide to download several free or inexpensive apps that can deliver all of the features you’d get in just one higher-priced application).

However, there are a couple of middle-of-the-road options that can offer the many features you crave without the ones you don’t really need at a price that is eminently affordable. And Toodledo seems to consistently rise to the top of the list. At $2.99 it matches the price of Tisk Task, an app that lets users create and populate lists, set priorities and due dates, and even add notes, but which has suffered from navigational issues and an apparent difficulty when it comes to deleting lists. Taska is another good option (at $4.99), and reviewers note that it’s very user-friendly, but some have also said that it’s a little too simple and that there are issues syncing it with an iPhone.

Toodledo, on the other hand, offers syncing through their website so that you can use both your iPhone and iPad, whichever you happen to have on hand. The format is easy to use and understand with all kinds of options for customization. You create multiple folders and assign tasks to them; set priority, duration, due date, and so on; take notes on a notepad or attach them to a specific task; copy, paste, and set certain tasks to repeat on a schedule; set reminder alarms or start and stop a timer to track your work (no more relying on http://stopwatch.onlineclock.net); pin tasks to a map so you can plan a route or squeeze things in wherever you are; password protect your tasks; and much more. The list goes on and on (fitting, really, since it is a listing app). So if you’re looking for a task manager that will deliver the features you need on your iPad at an incredibly low price, Toodledo could have you saying goodbye to all the rest.

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.

Toodledo - To Do List
Developer: Jake Olefsky, LLC

Rated: 4+

Price: $2.99 Download

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First off, I am sorry for pushing last weeks and yesterdays Tweak Week to today. I was on Spring Break last week and I recently got a job. But I am still going to push things forward and try to keep up with this Tweak Week.

Curiosa, a tweak that we all have been waiting for, is out in Cydia. Curiosa gives Cydia notifications of when tweaks have been updated. But behind the scene, it actually refreshes Cydia and updates the database. So next time you go into Cydia, it will be updated with all new stuff including updates just as it was if you were in Cydia and refreshed it yourself. There is a price to pay. You cannot find this in Cydia’s own Repos, you will have to manually add the new repo yourself. The new repo is http://rpetri.ch/repo/ and you just add that and search Curiosa and you can now install it!

Curiosa is free, but in a different repository.

This isn’t new, but its update just fixed everything that was messing it up before. Winterboard is a theme software that “masks” icons, lockscreen and various others to do different stuff and is all reversible. I’m sure that a lot and 99.99% of all jailbreakers known about Winterboard so I will not go into it as much. Winterboard is really great now, it’s fast, easy and there are a ton of themes out in Cydia and is awesome to see all these themes being applied!

Winterboard is free in Cydia.

Sorry that there aren’t a lot of tweaks this week, but we should be back in schedule next week. Thank you for reading! Follow me on Twitter: @pfoa_foozelz and @foozelz.

Video game players become dedicated fans of certain series. You’ll find passionate Mario Brothers fans decades after their first release. Same goes for Final Fantasy, Badge of Honor, Doom, and any of the myriad other huge names in the gaming world. For die-hard video game fans, the name Max Payne brings up visions of thousands of hours of joyful destruction. The original Max Payne game was an action-packed shoot-em-up blast of gameplay, with incredibly cinematic effects. Video gaming has expanded and improved quite a bit since the first Payne game launched, with an increased focus on the limitless possibilities of the various mobile platforms. Rockstar Games has taken on mobile gaming with one of their most beloved titles, by announcing that Max Payne Mobile is now available. Gamers can find it in the App Store, with versions for the iPhone, iPad and iPod touch.

Sam Houser, who founded Rockstar Games, praises Max Payne as “the original”. Max Payne Mobile is a new platform translation of the original game, and Houser promises it will feature the entire bleak story and fast-paced, crazy gameplay of the original. He also claimed that he was thrilled with the job Remedy, the mobile developer, did on adapting the game, and figuring out a way to portray the classic game in a fresh light.

Max Payne Mobile features HD quality graphics, Social Club connectivity, high-resolution textures, and user-customizable controls. It’s been completely overhauled, and optimized for iOS devices. Users can pick it up for just under $3 through their mobile device’s App Store, or in the iTunes Store itself. The game is supported to run on any iPhone version 3GS or later, the iPod touch 4, and any version of the iPad.

The original Max Payne video game was released eleven years ago. It’s a non-stop, story-driven adventure about a man on the brink, fighting for justice with a blistering array of weaponry. It’s set in the darkest corners of New York City during the worst blizzard of the century. Max Payne was so successful that it spawned a critically-acclaimed sequel in 2003 called Max Payne 2: The Fall of Max Payne. Rockstar Games will bolster their mobile release of the original with a brand new adventure called Max Payne 3, which will launch on May 15th. That sequel will be available on the Playstation 3 and Xbox 360 game systems. A release on PC will follow on May 29th. If you’d like more information about the upcoming releases, check out the manufacturers website, rockstargames.com.

Take-Two Interactive Software is the parent company of Rockstar Games. They’re based out of New York, and are known as one of the top developers and publishers of interactive entertainment around the world. Alongside Rockstar, they also own 2K, which publishes as 2K Games, 2K Play and 2K Sports. Take-Two has already ventured deep into the mobile market, and also release games through digital download and cloud streaming services. Check out their website www.take2games.com to play games for free and learn about some of their other fun releases, like Plants Vs Zombies. You can pickup Max Payne Mobile on the App Store via this link.

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.

Max Payne Mobile
Developer: Rockstar Games, Inc.

Rated: 17+

Price: $2.99 Download

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BlackBerry smartphones are typically thought of as phones for business use. However, thanks to all of the great games in the BlackBerry App World, these devices can be just as fun as any other smartphone on the market. We’ve compiled a list of five of the most fun BlackBerry apps, in case you need some suggestions on what to play on your phone.

1. Hangman – The classic pen and paper game gets a digital facelift and gives BlackBerry users a great way to pass the time. Thousands of words are included with the game to make sure that you never run out of games to play. Plus, the app has different themes for users who want words related to their interests, such as Hollywood movies, sports, popular music and much more. Even better, this app is available for free.

2. Free Solitaire – Computer users love to pass the time with a classic game of solitaire and now they can do the same thing while on the go with the Free Solitaire app. Fans of the card sorting game will be glad to know that Free Solitaire features both the classic version of solitaire as well as Spider Solitaire.

3. Forces of War – One of the best rated games for BlackBerry smartphones, Forces of War is a great pick for BlackBerry users who love to play war video games like Call of Duty. In this game, you create an army, build up an arsenel and then go to war against opponents. Even cooler, Forces of War has options for battle by land, sea or air.

4. Angry Birds – The insanely addictive and popular mobile game Angry Birds is available from the BlackBerry App World. The game play is simple, but it becomes more and more challenging as the levels continue. If you haven’t played Angry Birds, it’s recommended to give it a shot just to see what everyone is talking about. However, the BlackBerry version will cost $4.99 to download.

5. Pandas vs. Ninjas – With a title like that, how could it not make a list of the most fun apps for BlackBerry smartphones? Pandas vs. Ninjas is similar to Angry Birds, but features a more realistic physics simulation and fantastic animated characters, music and sound. Even better, this app is available for free, which might make it more appealing than Angry Birds for many BlackBerry enthusiasts.