ZDNet App Wrap: February 4, 2013

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St George Banking App

Platform: iOS, Android

Price: Free

St George has made lots of noise in the past week about its new MoneyMeter feature. On Android, it creates a widget that allows checking of an account's available balance, once the widget is tapped, without the need to log in to the bigger mobile banking app. On iOS, the action is performed by swiping on the home page.

Colour us shiny tinfoil hat wearers, but we're not sure we trust this feature. When a phone is lost, or left unlocked, does that mean anyone could have open access to the balance?

But that's guaranteed to happen never going to happen, is it?

Published: February 4, 2013 -- 04:02 GMT (20:02 PST)
Photo by: St. George

Caption by: ZDNet Australia team
Vine

Platform: iOS

Price: Free

Listen up. For the next few weeks, GIFs are dead, and we are all going to use Vine to create 6-second videos that are to filmography what Instagram is to the Louvre. And cats, lots of cats.

With the cynicism out of the way, this app isn't too bad, actually. The interface is well done, and the updates are arriving rapidly to fix bugs.

Only two questions float around my mind with this app. Do we need yet another social-network profile? And when is the Android version coming?

Published: February 4, 2013 -- 04:02 GMT (20:02 PST)
Photo by: Vine Labs

Caption by: ZDNet Australia team
DrupalCon Sydney 2013 Guide

Platform: iOS, Android

Price: Free

From Wednesday to Saturday this week, DrupalCon will be on in Sydney.

This app is unofficial, but we still like the idea of it. Fumbling through a schedule should be easier via an app than the crumpled piece of paper or reverse side of a lanyard filler that are used nowadays.

The app contains the usual features you'd expect: Schedule, session planner, Twitter feed, and floor plans.

Published: February 4, 2013 -- 04:02 GMT (20:02 PST)
Photo by: CrossFunctional

Caption by: ZDNet Australia team
RACQ Mobile Service

Platform: Android

Price: Free

Forget this app's trip planning and other navigation-related features; the reason you want it is that you can request roadside assistance without needing to call a switchboard. Using the phone's GPS, the app will tell RACQ dispatch your location.

This all sounds wonderful, but look at that picture above. Bonus points for keeping it real, but I do hope that 40 minutes isn't typical the typical wait time offered by the RACQ.

Published: February 4, 2013 -- 04:02 GMT (20:02 PST)
Photo by: RACQ Operations

Caption by: ZDNet Australia team
AppZorter

Platform: Samsung Android

Price: Free

This app is incredibly useful, but only if you have a Samsung Android device. By default, the TouchWiz theme on Android sorts apps in the "All Applications" grid by installation date. After a while, this means that any alphabetisation of the grid is sorely lacking, and iOS-like "Where'd that app go, wait, I'll just search for it" userflow kicks in.

All this app does is re-sort the applications grid, and in doing so restores order from chaos, and that is what makes it brilliant.

There is also a paid version for AU$0.99 to remove the standard annoying ads found in many Android apps.

Published: February 4, 2013 -- 04:02 GMT (20:02 PST)
Photo by: DemiDoes

Caption by: ZDNet Australia team
OpenVPN Connect

Platform: iOS, Android

Price: Free

If you are looking for the official OpenVPN app, then look no further.

The app allows the importation of .ovpn profiles from SD card, iTunes, OpenVPN Access Server, Private Tunnel, or a browser link. Owners of the Nexus 7 will be able to use hardware-backed keystores, while everyone can use its IPv6 support and improved power management.

Published: February 4, 2013 -- 04:02 GMT (20:02 PST)
Photo by: OpenVPN

Caption by: ZDNet Australia team
iPhone Keyboard Emulator

Platform: Android

Price: Free

Maybe a couple of years ago it was the case that iOS had a better keyboard implementation than other mobile platforms, but not now.

Wanting to use an iPhone keyboard on Android would be akin to wanting to use S-Voice on iPhone.

We don't understand why you'd want to replace the much better native keyboard with this app. But if you want to pretend you have a Samsung iPhone, this app could help.

Published: February 4, 2013 -- 04:02 GMT (20:02 PST)
Photo by: Sixgreen Labs

Caption by: ZDNet Australia team
NAB

Platform: iOS, Android

Price: Free

This app was recently updated to offer functionality closer to the bank's regular online banking site. There are still a number of gaps remaining, but it is one step closer to parity.

Published: February 4, 2013 -- 04:02 GMT (20:02 PST)
Photo by: NAB

Caption by: ZDNet Australia team

Apps this week include: St George Banking App, Vine, DrupalCon Sydney, RACQ, AppZorter, OpenVPN Connect, NAB, and one app that we question the existence of.

St George Banking App

Platform: iOS, Android

Price: Free

St George has made lots of noise in the past week about its new MoneyMeter feature. On Android, it creates a widget that allows checking of an account's available balance, once the widget is tapped, without the need to log in to the bigger mobile banking app. On iOS, the action is performed by swiping on the home page.

Colour us shiny tinfoil hat wearers, but we're not sure we trust this feature. When a phone is lost, or left unlocked, does that mean anyone could have open access to the balance?

But that's guaranteed to happen never going to happen, is it?

Published: February 4, 2013 -- 04:02 GMT (20:02 PST)

Caption by: ZDNet Australia team

1 of 8 NEXT PREV