Winner: Tablet Size Apps: MyGarson by Erkan Kaplan

MyGarson is an app which allows restaurant customers to order meals and drinks on an iPad. The orders are sent by WiFi to the restaurant's server (running MySQL), which prints orders in the kitchen and bar as well as producing the bill. If WiFi is not immediately available, the orders are stored in an SQLIte database on the device until it is. The menu of food and drinks is downloaded from the server by the app. The iPads run in kiosk mode, so the restaurant's customers can only use the devices for ordering. If there are problems with the order when it arrives, the customer can communicate with the kitchen or bar immediately. He can also see his current bill at any time. When he's done, he can fill out a survey with comments on the restaurant.

Judge's Comments: I can see how this app solves a number of problems in restaurants - service would certainly be a lot faster if you never had to wait for a waiter! The app itself is well designed, for both the customer and the restaurant. Clean, attractive and easy to use screens along with terrific functionality made it a clear winner.

The developer, Erkan Kaplan, had the first version live in a restaurant within 30 days of buying AppStudio. An impressive accomplishment!

Acceptance Speech: Ein grosses Dankeschön an das NSB/AppStudio-Team, dass sie so eine wunderschöne und ganz leicht bedienbare Entwicklungs-umbegung geschaffen haben.

Als ich das Erste mal mit AppStduio angefangen habe zu programieren, konnte ich mir nicht vorstellen, dass es meine App soweit hätte bringen können.

Innerhalb 3 Wochen habe ich meine erste Version mit NSB/AppStudio programiert und innerhalb 1 Jahres ca. 15 SushiBars/Restaurant Kunden gewonnen, die meine App benutzen.

Ich freue mich, dass ich mit meiner App diesen Preis gewonnen habe, und danke dem NSB/AppStudio-Team dass sie mir es ermöglicht haben, in dieser Entwicklungsumbegung zu arbeiten."

Translation:"A big thank you to the NSB/AppStudio team, who built such a wonderful and easy to use development environment.

When I started programming with AppStudio, I could not have predicted it would bring me so far.

Inside of 3 weeks, I had my first version programmed, and inside of 1 year I gained about 15 sushi bars as customers using my app.

I'm happy to have won this award with my app and thank the NSB/AppStudio team who made it possible for me to use this development environment." -- Erkan Kaplan, Gelsenkirchen Germany

This software is: Commercial Link

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Winner: Business - Phone Size: FarmMates by Graham Barlow

FarmMates is a family of apps including GrassMate, MixMate, CowMate, WorkMate, and CalfMate (in testing). These apps allow farmers to manage grass and diets for their cows.

Judge's Comments: Interface seems straightforward, and looks easy to understand (if you’re a farmer). Can clearly see the uses and benefits for farmers. MixMate can be used to track feed recipes, show when your feed wagon needs servicing and records feed deliveries. Likely makes managing a farm, or multiple farms, much easier and more efficient.

Acceptance Speech: Thank you George and team.
The challenge I have with all my apps for New Zealand farmers is trying to keep the appearance of simplicity with what can get quite technical. Balancing what can be done with what should be done. I originally wrote my Farmmates apps in NSBasic Palm for use on my farm. l have really enjoyed programming with AppStudio and harnessing some of the capabilities of modern devices. I feel very privileged to have won best in catagory. l shall eagerly await my all expenses paid business class trip to Canada to accept the honour at the AppStudio app award ceremony. :) Thanks again -- Graham Barlow, Hamilton, New Zealand

This software is: Commercial Link

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Winner: Fun - Phone Size: HexaPent Puzzler by Henry Hugo

This is a puzzle game, which shows an array of 6 pentagons, each made up of 5 triangles of different colours. Pentagons can be rotated clockwise or anticlockwise around the centre each pentagon. The object of the game is to make all the triangles within each pentagon the same colour using the fewest number of moves.

Judge's Comments: This is a clever concept for a puzzle game and is a great example of how a simple concept can become a deceptively complex game. The controls are easy to use, and the game is simple enough to understand. There are three difficulty settings, and the game can become very difficult to solve, requiring some strategizing and planning.

Acceptance Speech:"First of all it was fun programming in NS Basic. I am a Basic programmer from Way Back, about 1980, and I prefer Basic over C++, LUA or any other language that I have used. I am an old grey plodder and prefer what I know best.

This was my first attempt at programming an App and I found using NS Basic and the NSB App Studio very straight forward. What I enjoyed most was being able to make changes and test immediately in my browser. I also found NS Basic redrew the graphics amazingly fast.

I found the documentation very complete and useful. Some of the other multi-platform systems I have tried left a lot to be desired.

I chose NSB App Studio because of the possibility of using the resulting programs with PhoneGap to port to multiple platforms quickly and easily. I have looked at and tried three other multi-platform development systems and been frustrated and disappointed with the support and results.

My future plans are to develop a number of games/puzzles using NS Basic.

Thank you for the opportunity to test NS Basic before I purchased and for this competition which made it a fun challenge to get the App finished and working." -- Henry "Pops" Hugo, Capetown, South Africa

This software is: Link

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Category: Tablet Size Apps

Other entries (alphabetical order)

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Bug Trap by Akio Yasuda

The goal of the game is to trap fast-moving bugs within 3 blocks of a larger maze. Traps are created one line at a time by clicking.

Judge's Comments: Fairly straightforward, the win parameters aren’t always correct (speed of the bugs is quite fast), and the line creation isn’t always fast/accurate. Entertaining for a few minutes, and while the soundtrack made me smile when I started; I had to mute it after a few games.

This software is: Freeware Link

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Easy Database by Michael OMassey

Easy Database is a simple database app. There are 10 predefined databases, each related to a category: custom database, inventory database, software inventory, wine inventory, record inventory, CD inventory, VHS inventory, comic book inventory, tool inventory, and book inventory. Custom database allows you to define the field names. Inventories can be viewed either as individual entries, or in table format.

Judge's Comments: Database may be a misleading term, but it certainly is easy. While it doesn’t have the functionality experienced database users would expect, it allows for easy creation of lists of common things you might want to keep track of. The format is very simple to follow, and the lists can even be emailed as a coma delimited file to be used in a database or spreadsheet program. The only issue is that, aside from the custom database, you may find some of the predefined databases less useful than others (who keeps track of their VHS tapes anymore?).

This software is: Commercial Link

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EstimateHD (Construction Estimator) by Michael OMassey

Construction Estimator is an easy to use estimating program to help a contractor or home owner estimate materials and cost of a project. The main menu of construction Estimator shows 13 functions to choose from. Construction Estimator does not have a set beginning point, you can start with any function. Each function has inputs that relate to the area to be calculated. After inputting the measurements press the calculate button. This will calculate and display the cost and the materials. These totals are remembered and saved in memory. This is the iPad version.

Judge's Comments: The app looks great and was easy to use. The pictures showing details of construction were a great aid. However, the overall user interface is not well integrated. For example, changing the material cost did not automatically update the total, and modifying the roof estimate added the cost of another roof to the total instead of replacing the lines. It's a promising start.

This software is: Commercial Link

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Mobile Office by Eugene Kirilenko

Mobile office is designed for government officials, solving 4 tasks using an iPad (online and offline modes): 1.) Document management - reading documents for review (including attached files in different formats), resolution imposing, and monitoring execution of documents with control dates; 2.) Contacts and internal messaging system with the ability to deliver instant text messages directly on the iPad (with Push notification) or by e-mail; 3.) Work with the personal schedule, tracking calendar events, and; 4.) Providing a catalog of reference documentation, with global search. Different file formats can be used, including PDF/DOC/EXCEL.

Judge's Comments: Mobile office is an app for synchronizing a front-end iPad to back-end office functions. It allows the user to access and monitor documents, contacts, email, schedule and calendar entries, and office databases, all from an iPad. The app is in Russian, making it difficult to decipher, but the app appears to have some useful functions, like push notification for email, and internal text messaging. It also gives you access to documents located in a database that you might need while not at your desk.

This software is developed specifically for a government department. Link

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RV Helper by Michael OMassey

RV Helper is an RV trouble shooting and repair app. Just touch the picture and you are taken to the problem screen with easy to understand descriptions. Large type is used for easy reading. These areas are covered: how to back up a trailer, how to hook up a trailer, how to hook up a weight distributing hitch, how to hook up a 5th wheel, how to set up an awning, how to drain waste water, how to winterize your RV/trailer, slide out problems, hot water problems, furnace problems, refrigerator problems, air conditioner problems, heater problems, fuse box, RV/trailer tips, and gas mileage calculator.

Judge's Comments: RV Helper is about as simple and straightforward as it gets. 18 topics are listed on two pages, each with a thumbnail. Clicking on a topic brings up steps for a solution. The solutions seem well explained, providing pictures as well as examples. If you have an RV this is definitely a tool to keep handy. Layout is simple and easy to navigate. It even provides a customizable checklist for anything you might miss.

This software is: Commercial Link

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Sudoku (Tablet version) by Guy Gendreau

This is a Sudoku app with a couple extra features including research and deletion of number candidates by either the player or the computer, as well as a library of grids at different levels.

Judge's Comments: Sudoku made difficult. Already knowing how to play Sudoku, I still had to read the help notes to understand how to interact with this Sudoku interface. In English and French and available in 10, 7, and 5 inch screen versions.

This software is: Freeware English 7 Inch Tablet English 10 Inch Tablet French 7 Inch Tablet French 10 Inch Tablet

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Category: Business - Phone Size

Other entries (alphabetical order)

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Card Coach by Richard King

Card Coach is a card memory app. It has multiple modes for practicing how to recall which cards have been dealt or what order a set of cards has been dealt in.

Judge's Comments: The page layout is simple, but the functions are difficult to decipher without using the manual. Despite this, it provides a good way to practice, and seems effective for building associative memory. It is not described as a game and isn’t fun to play, but as a tool for card players this app could be extremely useful.

This software is: Commercial Link

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Picu Tools by Michael J. Verive, MD

PICU Tools is a suite of calculators, charts, databases, and guidelines for use in the treatment of patients in the pediatric intensive care unit. Initially developed for the Palm OS using NS Basic/Palm, PICU Tools has been expanded with additional tools for use in pediatric patients in all patient care areas, from the outpatient clinic to the emergency department, operating room, and inpatient treatment areas.

Judge's Comments: Simple interface for providing calculations, graphs, and other various tools for pediatricians. Straightforward to navigate, obvious button function, lists in dropdown boxes for easy access to information. Makes me wonder why every pediatrician doesn’t have something like this on-hand if they don’t already. Can only be displayed in portrait, but that doesn’t appear to hamper the readability of the graphs.

This software is: Freeware Link

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RMRAccounts by Alan Richey

RMRAccounts is a comprehensive accounts program available for the iPhone and iPad series of platforms. As well as the usual functions of Transaction storing and statement reconciling, Archiving, Standing Orders/Direct Debits and Categories, it also has full multi-currency support, optional password protection and filters and also includes extra modules for Fuel Consumption Monitoring, Home Contents Listing, Budget Planning, Investment Tracking, Utility Usage Tracking and a Checklist option.

Judge's Comments: This is similar to some mobile banking apps, but with added features. While it is not directly linked to your bank account, RMRAccounts is a robust, standalone solution for tracking your finances. It has much more functionality for creating and following a budget, lots of useful functions, generally easy to navigate, and well laid out for following multiple accounts.

This software is: Commercial Link

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Tactile Mobile Pro by iFeelPixel Association

Tactile Mobile Pro is an image manipulation app with some added features. It allows users to upload images, manipulate them, and share them. The app includes functions which allow for facial recognition, pixel detection and other manipulations, as well as haptic and audio feedback.

Judge's Comments: For the most part, this is an image manipulation and sharing app. The pro version allows for some haptic effects (vibration), and even allows for secure image transfer. An android device with TouchSense is recommended to get the full effect of the haptic feedback. Compared to other image sharing platforms (such as instagram), Tactile Mobile Pro offers more image manipulation tools, but the interface and functions are confusing, and the extra effects are poorly explained.

This software is: Commercial Link

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webKal by Markus Schneider/Germany

webKal is an app for calculating daily calorie intake and monitoring your diet.

Judge's Comments: webKal includes some useful features such as tracking weight, diet, food choice, and exercise from day to day. I can see how this could be useful, with the start of a good list of foods. However, the layout isn’t very attractive and isn’t particularly easy to navigate. *Note: App is in German

This software is: Commercial Link

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Category: Fun - Phone Size

Other entries (alphabetical order)

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3N4C by mizuno-ami/Japan

3N4C is a simple memory game with 3 numbers and 4 colours. 3 Numbers are presented in boxes of 4 possible different colours. Choose a time period, and then attempt to recall the numbers and the colours of the boxes presented.

Judge's Comments: The game is simple to play, but the colours can be difficult to distinguish. Clicking the “I” icon says this should help prevent dementia. The game is also locked for the time duration, so if you accidentally pick 9 hours or 1 day then the game is locked for that time period (it will actually countdown 86,000 seconds for a day).

This software is: Freeware Link

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DoDec Puzzler by Henry Hugo

DoDec is a puzzle game, which shows two halves of a dodecahedron. Each half is made up of six pentagons, which are made up of five triangles. Pentagons can be rotated clockwise or anticlockwise around the centre or the corners of the pentagons. The object of the game is to make all the triangles within each pentagon the same colour using the fewest number of moves.

Judge's Comments: If you found HexaPent difficult, then DoDec will be a nightmare. The puzzle itself is simple to understand, and the controls are straightforward. Simply rotate the pentagons to move the coloured triangles around. It is a clever format for a puzzle, but the dodecahedron may be confusing to visualize at first. The difficulty stays the same, and if you’re new to this type of puzzle then you may find this very hard.

This software is: Link

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Schülerfragen (Student Questions) by Markus Schneider

The app is a tool designed to help grade school students learn various subjects. English and Math are the only functioning subjects, but the list is expanding.

Judge's Comments: Seeing as how the app is a German tool to help students learn English, I didn’t score very well, but the interface is very straight forward. Pick a subject, a grade and a lesson, and the app will return a string of simple questions with answers that are either picked from a box or typed. Limited functionality now, but I can see this being a simple practice tool for students, similar to flashcards.

This software is: Freeware Link

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Sudoku (Phone version) by Guy Gendreau

This is a Sudoku app with a couple extra features including research and deletion of number candidates by either the player or the computer, as well as a library of grids at different levels.

Judge's Comments: Sudoku made difficult. Already knowing how to play Sudoku, I still had to read the help notes to understand how to interact with this Sudoku interface. In English and French and available in 10, 7, and 5 inch screen versions.

This software is: Freeware Link for English Link for French

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Tactile Mobile Free by iFeelPixel Association

Tactile Mobile Free is an image manipulation app with some added features. It allows users to upload images, manipulate them, and share them. The app includes functions which allow for facial recognition, pixel detection and other manipulations, as well as haptic and audio feedback. The free version does not include advanced colour detection, pixel detection announced via haptic effects, or simulated tactile sensations.

Judge's Comments: For the most part, this is an image manipulation and sharing app. The free version doesn’t include as much functionality for haptic effects (vibration), as the pro version, but can still incorporate audio feedback. Compared to instagram (another image sharing platform), there are more image manipulation tools, but the interface and functions are confusing, and poorly explained.

This software is: Freeware Link

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