Readmill

Readmill

Rating: ★★★★☆

Do we really need another book reader with all the various apps like iBooks, Stanza, Kindle and Nook available in the iOS platform?  Apparently yes.  Readmill is probably the best designed ebook reader app to date.  The app uses proper typography with no clutter whatsoever.  It's so clean you just want to gobble up those text one page at a time.

TrafficDito

TrafficDito is a Metro Manila traffic updates from people stuck in it.  The concept is pretty simple:  use Twitter to share traffic updates within the metro and let TrafficDito filter these tweets and place them in one beautiful stream.  TrafficDito is designed by, um, who knows?  Anyway, I get to play with their  iPhone app currently in Beta, thanks to some Peanut who gave me the invite.  Some of you have heard or who even read my review of the MMDA iPhone app might say, "oh another traffic app like the MMDA iOS app."  Well, yes and no.

[UPDATE] TrafficDito is now available in the app store!

TrafficDito Website

There are already 3 Metro Manila traffic iOS apps and they are free.  You have the MMDA, Metro Traffic Live! and StreetSmart and they are pretty much redundant in terms of features with some minor differences.  So how does TrafficDito differ from these apps?  Yes, this is an another Metro Manila traffic app and no, it's not an MMDA copycat.  It's a totally different spin that will appeal much to Twitter power users.  Non-Twitter-ers are still lost in translation when  it comes to a "tweet", "Twitter" and "to tweet".

MMDA

A couple of days ago the MMDA (Metropolitan Manila Development Authority) released the MMDA iOS app.  The app is compatible with iPhone, iPod touch, and iPad. Requires iOS 3.0 or later and is iOS 4.0 tested.  Currently, it has a rating of ★★★★ 53 ratings in the app store.  For this post, we'll try to breeze through the features of MMDA's iOS app.  This is my first app review, by the way.

Icon and Splash Page

I think that this is a very good move for the MMDA to finally give smartphone users an official application when it comes to traffic.  Before the release of this app, Manila Traffic Live! was the alternative for smartphone users to get traffic information.  MMDA already has launched the Metro Manila Traffic Navigator earlier this year but the web application is not suitable for people who are on the go. Don't raise your hands up Android, Blackberry and Nokia fanboys and girls. iOS is just the beginning. They said the app will be coming to every smartphone platform. It's just that the iOS is the best among the rest - ra! ra! ra!

So let's take a look at the app, shall we?

Sections

The app has 5 sections and we'll go through the sections one by one and showcase it's designated features.  The sections are:  System View, Map View, Line View, FAQs and the About Section.  These sections are located at the bottom part of the app and you will be automatically taken to the system view section if you used it for the first time.  The app has a pretty easy navigation design and has a metro-ish feel with the towers at the background.

System View

System View

The System View gives you the traffic of the whole system in a larger picture of the system by comparing the color codes. Tap on the "i" button and a panel will show on the right side of the screen with the legends that you need to know.  This is a good view to map out your direction for your final destination.  The "Legends" have two sections:  one for traffic marked with colors and the other for lines marked with numbers.