iReview iGirl Lite – IPhone App FAIL

There is a hot new app burning up the iPhone charts.  It’s called iGirl.  While the full app is $.99 I wasn’t ready to fully commit to an iGirlfriend just yet so I gave the iGirl Lite a run for her money.

Now, there have been a lot of dumb iPhone apps.  Perhaps the iFart comes to mind.  Or one of its many competitors.  Still, for my money, iGirl Lite is the single most obscenely stupid app yet in the 1 year history of iPhone apps.

Here is what you get with iGirl Lite.

First, you are forced to watch a static text ad for ten seconds imploring you to buy the full version.  The new version includes “more animations” and “more customization” and “much MUCH more!”

Finally, you are greated by a poorly rendered “girl” dressed in schoolgirl fashion standing in a classroom swaying vaguely back and forth.  If you leave her alone she says “I need a tutor”  and “You are sooo cute. Can I have some money?”  Actually, that seems to be all she says.  Awesome.

And what can you do with her?  Well, if you poke her anywhere on her body she says “Oh!” What else can you do?  Nothing.   That’s it.  You poke her with your finger and she says “Oh!” She sways vaguely and says her two lines over and over.

When you finally tire of this entertainment, you can “customize” your iGirl with three other hair colors and change her language to either Russian or Spanish.  This is fun because if you change her mother tongue it changes the way she says “Oh!”  Clever, eh?

Now, maybe the full version, with MUCH MUCH MORE just blows you away with its innovation and interactivity but, having tried out iGirl Lite I would rather risk my $.99 on one share of CitiBank.

Greatest Tech Review Ever

 Greatest tech review ever!  Pogue could learn a thing or two from this guy:

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sS_vm6whRaI&hl=en]

(via Defamer)

Other Opinions on MobLogic

Seems like others have taken a look at MobLogic, the new show from the gang at WallStrip.  ReelPop seems to come up with a mixed view:

“Despite this superlative production, “MobLogic’s” flaw might be that it’s simply another snarky news comedy show. Do we need man-on-the-street interviews in Manhattan, where the citizens are hardly representative of the general American populace? (To be fair, I hardly think man-in-the-Olive Garden interviews would be more enlightening.) The producers promote “MobLogic” as a catalyst for conversation, but don’t we have enough conversationalists — pundits, bloggers, critics — and not enough investigative reporters?”

As I’ve mentioned, I don’t think there is a lot of value in offering a sort of “more-of-the-same” approach online.  You really need to bring something new to the table or at least add a cool garnish. 

Weighing in on the All-For-Nots

There is a lengthy post over on NewTeeVee for those who would like a bit more insight and opinion regarding the latest large-scale web-series The All-For-Nots:

“Cranky old folks may be reminded of the candy-colored, network-produced attempt at cashing in on psychedelia known as The Monkees. Gen X’ers who’ve complained for years that Sub Pop totally sold out might savage the show, meanwhile tuning in to every episode and lurking on the fictional band members’ online profiles for snark-fuel. But the show sends up the cynical, tight-jeaned indie rock snobs even as it reaches out to that audience, and hey, even Pitchfork has thrown its hat into the online video ring, so who’s judging?”

Has anyone watched this yet?  Would love to hear your thoughts in the comments. 

Short is the Word

While there seems to be a general sense that web videos have a 3-minute sweet-spot in terms of length, I am a big fan of the short and sweet.

Tilzy has a review of a webisodic taking that approach called Dank & Nank:

“”It’s about an out-of-work waitress, Dank (Templeton) and an aspiring writer and director, Nank (actor Scott Nankivel who also writes the show), living together as roommates and sometimes friends. They have the familiarity of any two people who spend excessive amounts of time together, supporting, belittling, annoying and embarrassing each other…Episodes are short and sweet, with barely enough story to convey, but just enough to get viewers hooked.  It’s a quick joke.  A comic strip.  And easy to consume with an average episode running for about 40 seconds, both when they’re good (often), and when they’re not-so-good (sometimes). ”

This is a pretty fair review and I think it’s great that they’ve kept it up and kept it short.  Here’s a sample episode:

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KfRZZqrlrRg&hl=en]

Prepare to be Reviewed

Actually, I have been reviewed.  Newly formed Blogged.com is a site that rates blogs for their value and content.  Of course it also lets users rate and comment on blogs.

Here is the link to my review.

They say:

“MyMediaMusings explores and discusses what’s happening in the world of New Media with a specific focus on original video content and the relationship between advertisers and content creators and the audience.”

Sweet.  I’m glad someone else has figured out what I’m doing.  I haven’t been able to define it nearly so well for myself.

Go check out the site and leave a review if you like.

Dear CNET, You’re Doing it Wrong

Great review over on NewTeeVee of CNET’s latest video offering, Loaded.  Sounds like they’ve made a classic mistake by trying to serve too many audiences they have missed them all.

“I can’t figure out who exactly the show is targeted at. Is it for the noob or the tech-savvy? Loaded is basically just someone reading the headlines and lead paragraphs of stories from a handful of reputable tech blogs. The problem is that the tech-savvy already read those tech blogs and get much more analysis than is offered on Loaded. So rundowns of tech news headlines quickly become redundant.

If the show is after the noob, it gets into some pretty obscure stuff — like 700 MHz purchases that mean little to someone just coming into the tech world — and because it’s video, there are no links to provide outside context. And in what is an egregious sin in the modern video world, CNET doesn’t allow embedding, so videos can’t be spread to new audiences. Non-techie people must tune in to the all-techie CNET.”

Though they claim this isn’t a death-knell for Loaded, I can’t imagine this sort of show can make any significant impact.