Apr 26, 2012

There aren’t too many games for mobile devices that allow 2 players to play at the same time. Multiponk is such a game. For fans of Pong, Multiponk is a huge leap forward but follows the same kind of gameplay. Let me explain.

Multiponk uses the back and forth sliding action like Pong does. There are 4 positions for potential players. For ease of explanation, we will call them North, South, East and West. For a single player game, player 1 is in the Southern spot and starts out with the generated opponent will start in the Northern location. The ball can bounce off of any surface except on the walls where the player’s paddles are.

Initially there are four corners where there are accelerators, similar to a pinball table. These accelerators are essentially launching pads to accelerate the ball. As the levels progress, bumpers are added, again like on a pinball table. These bumpers come in different sizes and are placed in different locations to make it harder to get a straight shot into the opponent’s goal area.

Another part of the game geared toward making it more difficult is, in single player mode, the opponent is not always directly across. The opponent can be in any of the other 3 locations and is sometimes in more than one location.

There is a multiplayer version of the game as well. In the multiplayer version there are 5 different games to play, all of which offer a little different challenge. In Baby, for example, the ball will split into smaller balls as the game progresses. The multiplayer games are best played on a phone with a larger screen or a tablet. Also, because of the speed of the game, it would be beneficial to play Multiponk on a faster device.

At first I thought Multiponk was going to be a fancied up remake of Pong but I was really wrong. With all of the variables added to each new level, Multiponk gets quite difficult as the game progresses.

Apr 25, 2012

Despite the hype on fast, high-definition graphics in games, there are a select few who prefer simple, minimalist interfaces when killing time with their smart phones. With too many games in Google Play, it’s hard to find that one game that suits a minimalist gamer. Enter Neon Blaster – a futuristic arcade game inspired by the 80′s Atari creation, Arkanoid. With its Tron-esque graphics and retro appeal, this game is a gem among a huge pile of stones.

The objective of the game is to prevent the ball from falling by catching it with the paddle and hitting the bricks. When a brick or group of bricks get hit, they disappear. When all bricks are cleared, the player moves on to the next round.

The game has two modes: Campaign and Arcade. Campaign is a series of levels with different brick patterns – when bricks are cleared in one level, the player moves on to the next. Arcade mode allows for endless game play, with new bricks added as other bricks disappear. In any mode, special balls appear from the bricks that, when catched, changes the abilities of the paddle. A fire ball transforms the ball into fire and hits more bricks than usual; a shooter ball installs a rifle-like structure in both sides of the paddle, enabling it to shoot the bricks above. There are also a few balls that should not be catched, such as the skull ball that “kills” the paddle and ends the game, or the shrink ball that makes the paddle smaller.

The game force-closed a few times when I first tried it, but killing some apps and disconnecting from the Internet seemed to fix that problem. This may not be an issue with the game, but with my device. When I got the game working again, it worked absolutely fine. The game controls only compose of sliding the paddle left and right using a blank space below. It works responsively enough, but a player might sometimes hit the Menu key accidentally if he slides too far down the screen. This causes the game to pause, which can be really annoying.

The graphics, on the other hand, are a delight to play in. Clutter-free and sleek with its glowing edges, the elements seem to hypnotize and stimulate at the same time – if that makes sense at all. Given the simplicity of the interface, the player can focus more on keeping the paddle in the right position at the right time and avoiding any unwanted killer balls while keeping the main ball afloat.

The sound effects are also very subtle and does not really distract from the game, in fact it does a great job of highlighting the action on screen and translating it to sound effects. However, if one finds the sounds abrasive, it can be turned off on the game’s Settings page.

Another thing I liked about this game is that it’s ad-free. No annoying ads popping up anywhere on the screen. There’s also no option to share one’s scores on social networks so that’s one unnecessary and often unused feature off the list.

To sum it up, Neon Blaster is a minimalist, retro arcade game with nice graphics and a fairly smooth interface. It may not be for everyone, but for people who were fans of the original Arkanoid game, this game is a great way to relive that experience.

Apr 24, 2012

People suck at sleeping these days (Editor’s Note: this review was edited at 4:04 am). I know I have a hard time taking a nap in the middle of the day even when I am exhausted. The hard part is there isn’t a really good way to tell why. For starters, tossing and turning will keep anyone awake. Does this sound familiar? Well, Sleep Diary is a good start down the path of a good night sleep.

The way Sleep Diary works it, at bed time, lay the phone in bed too. If the bed is pretty big, make sure it is close to the person in need of monitoring. As the person sleeps, Sleep Diary will monitor the movements as the person sleeps. The main screen is gives access to everything in the app. The alarm, forms, statistics, tracking and the settings menu. When it is time for bed, this is the screen used to initiate the sleep tracking.

In the menu, accessed by pressing the gear icon, there are several different options. The alarms can be created or adjusted, the rating forms created and managed, tracking settings managed and access to the statistics.

There are built in user adjustable alarm clocks. These alarms will override other alarms set for the same time. What I mean is, if the alarm in Sleep Diary is set for 8AM and so is the Android alarm, the phone will think both are going off but only the Sleep Diary alarm will ring.

The rating forms are the window into the specifics of the day prior to sleeping. When there is exercise or medication or another person in bed or any other factor that could affect sleep. There are only 3 forms by default, but more can be added in the paid version.

Tracking settings are are adjustments to the ideal amount of sleep needed, calibration of the sensors used to measure movement, muting sounds and other adjustments.

Statistics are where the information starts to make sense. The sleep duration chart shows ideal sleep versus actual sleep times, sleep deficit, average hours slept, and an overview among other statistics.

I found it really interesting how the days when I woke up and was tired were the same days I tossed and turned all night. The days I exercised and didn’t drink any caffeine late in the day or have any alcohol were the days I tossed and turned less and felt more rested. Who would have figured people sleep better when they get exercise and don’t pump their body full of need-nots.

Apr 24, 2012

Justin Smith’s Realistic Summer Sports Simulator is an accurate representation of those classic Olympics-style events games that were all the rage in the 80′s and 90′s. That is to say that this game is horrifically counter-intuitive and almost unplayable – on purpose. There are 15 events, which all have the basic premise of actual Olympic-style events, that then all go horribly awry. All the graphics look like they were plucked from the Atari 2600, and the controls use swipe gestures. They’re accurate, but everything is just kind of unwieldy. The horse in the equestrian event just kind of tumbles through the air. The javelin launch is kind of just flung from the body of the ‘athlete’.

Taken at face value, as a game where everything controls horribly and some events are basically impossible, this should mean that I hate it, right? Nope, because it’s just so stupid that it feels like that’s the point. When there are country names like Jakraine and Kazakhstingapore, I’m not quite sure things are meant to be taken seriously. Watching a guy flail through the air after a javelin toss, or shimmy while racewalking, or a swimmer rapidly turn his tiny pixelated arms in the air as he tries to get back in the water, that’s the fun. Hey, at least the game lets the player in on the joke that these events are practically impossible. That old NES summer sports game played its difficulty straight.

For those looking for a bit more balance, events can be removed from the main competition. I am convinced that I will never get higher than a 2.4 on the Rings competition, or that I will ever not DNQ in Weightlifting. I am Lord of Archery, though. I set a world record in swimming! I do well in the hammer toss from time to time! I watched this video on how to do the pole vault and I do pretty well in it now! I managed to not hit anything once in equestrian!

Some of the events are actually shockingly playable, and while they’re still goofy, they aren’t as funny. This may be the point, of being the few events in those compilations that actually are fun.

Still, it’s silly to complain that a game’s drawback is that it’s occasionally playable. It may be well-designed in the sense that it isn’t well-designed, but Justin Smith’s Realistic Summer Sports Simulator is still incredibly fun. Gather a friend or 3, laugh at all the faults that will inevitably occur and represent the proud nation of Monganda!

Apr 19, 2012

Dead Runner is a game that takes place in a creepy, dark forest. While being chased through the woods by who knows what, obstacles like trees and other such objects need to be avoided. While it may not seem too fun or challenging, it actually is quite a bit of both.

There are 3 modes in Dead Runner: Chase Mode, Points Mode and Distance Mode. Each use the same controls but add a little bit of a different challenge. Two of the 3 modes are controlled by tilting the Android device left or right. Forward and back movement have no affect. Chase Mode adds holding and releasing the screen as a speed control. As the run progresses, so does the speed. The main goal is to not run into a tree or other objects in the forest. Bushes will slow you down but won’t end end the run.

Distance Mode is pretty self explanatory. Dodge as many trees and other obstacles as possible trying for the longest distance. The farther the distance ran, the faster the game gets making it harder to dodge the trees and other obstacles.

Points Mode is the easiest to explain. While running, run into the different colored orbs placed in the forest. Each yellow Coin is 1000pts. The purple orb is a 2X bonus multiplier. The green orb is a 3X bonus multiplier. Points are also accumulated by the distance ran without hitting anything.

Chase Mode is similar to the other 2 modes because the rate of speed can be increased or decreased by pressing or releasing the screen. Just like in the horror movies, the slow runner feels the wrath of the monster.

While it’s not clear what is lurking in the forest, the eerie music and foggy tree line won’t make too many people question what that thing is making the noises behind them. They will just run. This is my favorite mode to play at night with the lights off. I kind of get the feeling like there is a creepy something right behind me.

There are a couple of milestones to the game. From the main screen by pressing on the star, there is a list of different occurrences such as dying 3 times within the first 250m of a run or going 1000m in Distance Run Mode.

A while ago, Amazon had it as their free app of the day. Not knowing what the game was, I downloaded it and started playing. I was hooked. Even though it is simple in theory, the urge to beat the furthest distance is enough for me to play a quick game whenever possible.

Apr 18, 2012

Sensible Soccer, as any sensible regular person will tell you, died in 1996. Sure, there were a couple of attempts at bringing the Amiga/PC classic back to life with all singing-all dancing graphics, but they fell short of the fans misty eyed memories.

All is not lost, however. New Star Soccer is a long running indie football game, which could at a glance pass for the Sensible Software classic. They both offer a top down playing angle, and a simplified view of the beautiful game, without any of FIFA’s flash and pizazz. For the first time, the series lands on mobile, and rather than trying to cram in some kind of awkward touch screen D-Pad, monstrosity, NSS takes the sensible option of breaking the on-the-pitch action into minigames.

The player takes the role of a single footballer trying to become a superstar both on the pitch and off of it. On the pitch, the game gives a certain number of opportunities to impress with a shot, a pass or an interception, depending on the strength of the team and how much teammates like the player. Off the pitch, the player can train to improve skills, buy houses, cars and tat to get people talking about their superstar, or work on relationships with the fans, team mates or manager. None of these are particularly deep, but it does complement the main game, and pushes the player to try to get to bigger clubs, as your money increasingly doesn’t go far enough (sometimes, just like in real life, a bike won’t cut it, but a personal jet will).

The mini-games are simple affairs, but very satisfying. Firstly the game provides an overview of the pitch, and the player has to pull back on the ball to set distance and direction. When you let go, the ball comes in from a first person perspective leaving the player to tap it in the right spot to add height, spin, or keep it on the ground. This makes all the difference between chipping the ball neatly over a defender, or sending it towards the corner flag. It’s simple, but hugely rewarding, and the game does make the player think about the consequences their actions – send too many shots over the bar, and teammates will resent the player for not passing enough. And the manager will drop him, of course.

Slight issues creep in further into the game, with the age old problem of how to prevent it becoming too easy when you sign for a massive club. NSS tackles this by ramping up the price of energy drinks. It sort of makes sense, but knocks into the soccer superstar fantasy world, and even then it’s not that successful: four seasons in, and I had maxed out my player and matches were getting a little samey. Likewise, players may moan about the pricing difference between iOS (where it’s free, with a 99c IAP for the main game) and Android, where it’s over $3.

But these complaints are pretty minor for a game that’s eaten as many hours as NSS has for me. By thinking outside the box on how football should play on mobile, New Star Games have created something that feels new, fun and addictive. It’s not FIFA, but its stolen away many of its previously unchallenged hours.

Apr 17, 2012

There are tons of games in the Google Play store that look too much like Plants vs. Zombies. Maybe this is because people just can not get enough of the more kid-friendly, fun and light version of the tower defense game genre. Not all of these knock-offs are great, however. It’s even frustrating to see most of these games just do not live up to the standards that gamers loved from Plants vs. Zombies. Slime vs. Mushroom 2 does not disappoint in this aspect. The new follow-up to a previous version, it’s an entertaining game with a funny premise.

The game starts with the user choosing their heroes, or in this case, slime. A requisite slime in all stages is the equivalent of the sunflower in PvZ, a purple-colored slime called Mom slime which gives birth to a baby slime – which in turn generates the needed points to purchase other slime heroes to defend their village. Slime heroes each have their own “powers”, such as shooting fire or ice towards the mushroom enemies, or being a suicide bomber to fend off multiple attacks in one row. Some slimes also act as a physical barrier to prevent the enemies from passing through. As the game progresses, more slimes can be purchased by using diamonds. Diamonds are earned throughout the game from Mom slimes, or one has an option to buy it online. Existing slimes that user already have can also be upgraded using diamonds. This can be an investment as the mushroom enemies can get tougher to kill as the levels get higher.

For an interactive game, the interface is quite smooth even on my low end device. The size of the app itself is smaller compared to other similar tower defense games (8.99 MB). Tapping on objects are sometimes done more than once, but that is mainly due to my phone’s small screen size. Otherwise, game controls are responsive and lag-free.

In addition to smooth gameplay, the graphics are cute enough to keep the player engaged – even if one is not winning. I particulary like the way the mushrooms “fight” with the slime in close combat. The characters are unique enough in their own right, making one forget that the idea was practically drawn from another (more popular) tower defense game. Despite that little flaw, the game still brings its own fun twist that’s refreshing and very entertaining.

There is a small tutorial when one first starts the game, but it doesn’t really explain a lot except for how to earn points and position the slimes. Once the game is started and throughout the next levels, there are no additional tutorials to explain new things – like a new kind of slime or upgrading an existing slime. The user would have to read through and look at visual clues as to how everything else works. This might be fine for one who’s very familiar with similar games, but it might throw off a first-time gamer. In this aspect the game definitely needs some additional tweaking to further educate the player. There is also a lack of warning system when the attacks are going to be “heavier” than usual so the player can anticipate and position their slimes accordingly.

A good addition would be a portion that explains the different kinds of mushrooms and what they are capable of in terms of strength and speed. I made the mistake of thinking all mushrooms were the same and were surprised later on to see that some actually attack better than others. Again, this might discourage new players if they get the impression that the game seems to be hard to play for no apparent reason.

As all other free apps in the Google Play store, this is an ad-supported game – but the ad placement (on top of the screen) is not so bad and does not prevent the user from playing the game properly. Other than being a minor visual distraction, the ads are quite acceptable in this case.

Overall, Slime vs. Mushroom 2 is one of the more quirky, kid-friendly tower defense games out there. With smooth graphics and fun characters, this game can keep you smiling for a long while. Ideally, these games are meant for kids but it’s still equally enjoyable to be played by adults. With certain additional information about the characters and game rules, in general, this game can be one of the best tower defense games thus far. The game has 100 levels and is free to play, with in-game purchase options for buying upgrades and characters.

Apr 16, 2012

Racing is just more fun with deadly weapons. That’s the M.O. of Remedy’s Death Rally, now available on Android. This isometric racer has players racing up to 5 other opponents, trying to beat them by either crossing the finish line before them, or by making them not finish at all. Each car has a basic machine gun, to go along with a special weapon like missiles or flamethrowers, and an optional spike bumper. Money is earned for kills and for performance in races, which can then be spent to refill health and upgrade cars and weapons. The game is free to play, and has money multipliers, and the ability to unlock new cars, stages, and weapons early. Otherwise, they must be unlocked by picking up parts through the levels.

The game is structured perfectly for mobile. Races take about 90 seconds on average, with some 3-minute deathmatch levels to go along with it. The game is about always moving forward, always earning money, always going along to the next race, with plenty of choices for that next race. That forward progression makes it very easy to suddenly waste a lazy afternoon just playing the game. The controls use a virtual joystick for driving in the proper direction, which actually works really well, along with an action button for deploying the special weapon. It’s simple and it works really well.

The progression in regards to monetization feels unoptimized, though. The issue is that new vehicles and items are unlocked very slowly. Parts are available throughout the levels, yet even without the multiplier, money is earned quickly enough to where plenty will be ‘wasted’ toward increasing the fame rank well before a new vehicle is unlocked. As such, this is designed to tempt impatient players to just pay to unlock the next vehicle or weapon. It’s silly to buy that multiplier for many reasons because it just means that the desire to buy the next vehicle is even stronger. This feels different from the iOS version, which has been free at times, and I don’t recall ever feeling clogged up in progression like I did in this game. The online multiplayer of the iOS version is lacking in this game as well, although that only recently launched on iOS.

While the progression is frustrating, the game is still extremely fun, and I don’t have a problem with dropping at least a couple dollars on a fun title. It just feels compulsory at times, and a waste of that earned in-game currency because I don’t want fame. I want better, newer cars. Still, the game is well worth checking out.

Apr 13, 2012

Tin Man Games’ Gamebook Adventures series has made its debut on Android, with the first chapter, An Assassin in Orlandes now available.

What is a gamebook? Well, it’s basically a choose-your-own-adventure novel except some choices are defined by dice rolls. There’s combat, where winning or losing leads to two different paths (losing usually results in death), and then there are Fitness checks, which means that the player must roll below their Fitness stat to pass the check. In the middle of text, this often means death. In battle, this means the difference between an improved dice result or a reduced one.

The story of the game has players controlling an adventurer who starts out in a tavern drowning away his sorrows of the woman who left him, while barely able to remember anything in his life. He stumbles outside after a night of imbibing in fine adult beverages, and witnesseses a man being murdered who winds up being the member of a powerful family in Orlandes. As he pursues the killer, he discovers that there’s a deep conspiracy about that he must try to uncover. So, the player’s decisions and actions determine where the story goes, and just who is behind all these happenings in the world of Orlandes.

The issue with An Assassin in Orlandes is that with CYOA stories, and I presume many gamebooks as well – fate can feel random at times. While this is part of the reward, figuring out which decisions lead down the correct paths, it can still be frustrating because it may be one decision many steps back that leads to failure down the road. It can be frustrating, but as the game is designed to be a throwback to these classic gamebooks, that may be part of the appeal for some players.

However, the game does a good job at letting players who are not familiar with gamebooks get into them, especially with the game’s Novice mode. It does take multiple plays to figure out which decisions should be made, in order to find that perfect play through the story. It’s a very different experience, and one that is actually quite cerebral.

Now, some of us would go through a CYOA book and fold a page corner to make sure that we didn’t make a bad decision. This game makes it a gameplay mechanic, as bookmarks. The game gives the player a limited number of bookmarks that can then be used to go back to a certain spot, in case a wrong decision is made or death occurs.

Love those CYOA books as a kid? An Assassin in Orlandes is well worth checking out to get into gamebooks. It’s not for those who want intense action, or can’t handle some reading and dice work, though!

Apr 12, 2012

Some games are great for taking one’s mind off things, but others are built to make the mind work. There is probably a handful of people who go for puzzle games over arcade, fast-paced ones – and it’s understandable. Puzzle games can sometimes become more frustrating than fun during the middle and end levels, so one might feel like giving up at that point.

Once in a while, a puzzle game comes around to hold a gamer’s interest for more than the first few levels. WordsWorth is one of those games. The interface is clean and game controls are smooth, with a very basic and intuitive design. The goal of the game is to put together words from adjacent letters in a grid, much like Boggle.

When no words are seen on the existing set of letters, there is an option to shuffle the tiles. As the game progresses, there will be special tiles with different qualities. Some tiles – such as the green and blue ones – can double the points for using it in a word. A blank tile with a star can be any letter in a word. A red tile, however, needs to be used within a few seconds or it will end the game. There are also benefits – or bonus actions – that can be unlocked when scoring a high-point word. One benefit is Wipeout – triple tap on a letter to wipe out all others like it in the board.

The game offers to play as a single player, play with friends or play with a random player online. Whichever is selected, the game proceeds to the main battle screen. There are three types of games: Classic, Timed or Tumble. Classic is merely being given a static group of letter tiles and the user has to form words by swiping the letters together. This is the same in Timed mode except for the time limit element added to the game. Tumble is a Tetris-style sort of action with the letter tiles falling on top of each other and the user has to form words before the stack gets too high.

The game runs pretty smoothly on a single player mode, but when trying to play with online players, the interface goes a bit slower than usual. There may be other factors that contribute to this – such as a slow data connection – so it is important to note that playing online with a congested 3G connection might not be so ideal. There’s also the positioning of the ads on the top portion of the screen. It covers some of the letters during a game and would have been better off on the bottom of the screen instead.

One great feature is that the user can customise the game’s setup. Before the game starts, one can change the minimum letters required for a word, the number of tiles to be laid out and the number of times the tiles can be shuffled. This gives the player some amount of control over the game, which is a nice touch. This is a great way for users to either enjoy an easier game or challenge themselves with a harder one. Either way, this sort of customization is something not often seen in other puzzle game.

There aren’t much controls needed to play the game – one only needs to swipe the desired word to select it. Once the finger is removed from the last letter of the selection, the game checks the word’s validity. If it is a valid word, a corresponding amount of points will be shown on the top part of the screen and the tiles for the word is taken off the board, giving room for other tiles to replace them. If a word is not valid, however, there will be no points shown, and the tiles will remain where they are. The player would need to try again. It’s quite difficult to take off the selection of a previous word to another one, especially if one wants to start with the same letter. To do this involves tapping on a letter completely away from it, then going back to tap on it again.

Playing this game is both challenging and fun – a combination not often seen in puzzle games. Variety is great for people who might easily get bored with only one way of playing the game. Navigating and gameplay is very smooth and quite pleasant. Just bear in mind that a fast Internet connection is preferred if one intends to play with other users online. Having a sluggish connection can ruin the experience. Nevertheless, WordsWorth is a great word puzzle game for amateur and advanced word geeks alike.

Apr 10, 2012

People born in the 70’s and 80’s played a game where they died of dysentery: Oregon Trail. Now, the game is back with Oregon Trail: Settler, a much more updated game and theme.

The premise of the game is to make and grow a happy settlement. The game itself, is pretty easy to play. Most things are clickable and/or can be dragged into position. While the controls are easy, the game can be challenging. Each time an action is performed such as picking crops, hunting, or collecting taxes, it uses energy. Energy and and settler cash are the 2 most difficult parts of the game to manage.

Managing energy in the game is a constant challenge because there are tasks and the cheapest way to recoup energy is to take a break from the game. Closing down the game and leaving it unplayed for an hour or 2 will let the energy meter return to full. Depending on how many levels are unlocked, the energy meter may take more time to replenish. Energy can also be purchased with settler cash.

The cash is the most difficult of the 2 to refill, but there are a couple ways settler cash can be earned. The first is to use real world cash. Using Google Wallet, aka the credit card attached to a Google Play Store account, real money can be used to purchase game money. The smallest denomination is $1.99 USD for $10 in settler cash and works its way up to $99.99 real money for $500 + 200 bonus cash in the game.

The other option to get settler cash is called Free Cash. This route requires a game download and actions such as playing levels, filling out forms to request quotes for insurance, signing up for a dating service, and more. This is the more cost effective way, but also is more of a hassle.

Some parts of Oregon Trail: Settler are meant to be social. Visiting a friend’s town to help with collecting taxes or picking crops or inviting friends to join via Facebook can help with parts of the game. When low on energy, there is an option to ask a friend for energy.

Overall the game is pretty addictive. After shutting down the game to rest for a while, a message will appear when crops are ready or the energy meter is fully restored. While this is a good reminder for those who want to play the game again as soon as possible, others who may be building a settlement at a more leisurely pace may want to turn these notifications off. Oregon Trail: Settler is a game akin to Farmville and others that can be clingy and begging for your attention if you let it.

Apr 6, 2012

Cellular providers all over the world are cutting back the amount of minutes, text messages and data allowed in plans they offer these days. When starting a new plan with a new wireless carrier or adjusting a current plan, watching every aspect of usage can be the difference between a normal monthly bill and an outrageous bill. myBounds is a web application with an Android counterpart made specifically to help measure monthly phone data, minute and text message usage for a single or multiple users sharing a cellular plan.

Creating an account from the myBounds website was much easier than through the application. The specifics of the wireless service need to be added. The amount of monthly data, text messages and minutes allowed can all be set to the plan limits. myBounds also asks for a start date; this is the first day of the monthly billing cycle. Once the allowances are set, if there are other devices on the plan, invites can be sent to those other users.

As the month progresses, the progress bars will increase as services are used. When any of the limits are close to being reached, a notification is sent to warn of potential overages. Some wireless providers give the option of reallocating minutes, text messages or data to other devices on the plan.

myBounds works well when monitoring text messages and data usage. In testing, the usage tracking for both of these sections seemed to be pretty accurate. At first the stats didn’t seem correct, but after a manual refresh they were right where they should be. Each time you start up myBounds, the application logs in and refreshes the progress bars.

Measuring minute usage is a little trickier for some some carriers. There is not an option to add in plan specific free features such as free incoming calls. There are options to add start and stop times fro free night and weekends or specific phone numbers where the calls do not deplete your anytime minutes. While adding these minutes into the overall usage will surely help avoid overages, the total number of minutes will not be an accurate representation of minutes left for the rest of the month.

Many people are not as concerned with minute usage because they are using more text messaging and data applications than actually talking to people. Having an accurate count of the text message and the data usage will make the majority of people happy.