Clear, the new iPhone app from RealMacSoftware, was released this morning (or at least, that’s when I got the email) and it seems to have made quite a splash for those who were aware of it before its release. I’ve seen positive and negative reviews, so I thought I’d throw in my two cents:
This thing feels like magic. Or, rather, it feels like the future. Your lists are entirely managed through gestures (drag down to add a new item, drag up to clear completed items, hold and drag to prioritize, etc.) and it works. The gestures feel natural and once you get through the mini-tutorial upon opening it for the first time, you know exactly how to use it.
The app isn’t overburdened with features, it’s simply a list app: You make lists, add items, cross them off or delete them, and that’s it. Use it as a to-do list, a grocery list, any kind of list. Have ten different lists. It’s totally up to you how to use it. For those of us who thrive on lists (I need them to function on a basic level—I don’t even know what I’m doing with myself unless I’m working off a mental to-do list) it’s a fun new way to manage them.
The color schemes are pretty, too, though Heatmap (pictured) is the only one that really seems to work for me, the others are nice but the color changes aren’t drastic enough, so the lists become monotonous, and suddenly lists aren’t fun anymore. Here are all of the themes currently available:
“Lucky Clover” is probably my second favorite, but the rest just don’t do it for me. Hopefully soon they’ll add a couple more, or maybe even include some way to create your own—but maybe I’m asking too much of this simple list app.
It’s still too early to say if Clear is going to beat out my current To-Do favorite, TeuxDeux. I do like having access to my list when I’m on my computer AND my phone, but there’s something to be said about being able to have more than one list. Personally, I like to have a To-Do list, a Grocery list, and a Wishlist—a running tab of all the things I come across that I want, so when Christmas or my birthday comes around and everyone asks me what to get, I have an entire list I can give them. Because hi, presents are the greatest.
Overall, Clear is a sweet list app, and right now it’s only $0.99. Yes, there are free list apps out there (and you could always manage your own in Notes or similar) but between the colors and the sound effects, none of them can best Clear.
My only gripe: There’s a character limit on list items—they have to fit on one line within the bounds of the list item (you’ll notice I’ve had to abbreviate “homework” to “hmwrk” to make some things fit). I don’t know what the best way of handling that would be, and maybe I just need to shorten my list items. That is the only thing I don’t love about Clear.
And it’s only version 1.0. I can’t wait to see how the folks at RealMacSoftware help this sweet little app grow.
Fruit hasn’t been a large part of my diet since I moved out of my parents’ house in 2009. It’s not that I don’t like fruit—on the contrary, I love fruit—it just tends to be a little bit expensive, and spoils really quickly. I hated buying a basket of raspberries and having them go bad within a day or two!
This year, however, my roommate and I have been making sure we keep a couple of bags of frozen fruit in the freezer at all times, so we can make smoothies. I’ve been having a fruit smoothie almost every day for breakfast. My mom would be proud.
This guy started off with a handful of raspberries (those are my favorite), then he was filled in with assorted fruit—peaches, strawberries, cantaloupe, and a couple others. After the picture was taken, he got topped off with lemonade (I prefer smoothies with a juice based, as opposed to milk or cream) and blended until smooth.
Ugh, how badly am I failing at this 365 Project? Forty-something days in and I’m on picture number four… oh well. I’ll keep going, try to keep up with it, and maybe I’ll start catching up.
Anyway, I made Éclair Cake tonight. It’s a super-light dessert with an airy, puffed pastry base, topped with a cream cheese and vanilla pudding mixture and homemade, unsweetened whipped creme. One of my favorite desserts! Top it off with chocolate sauce (Nesquik, because who am I kidding) and a quick raspberry purée, and you’ve got a great little dish.
I’m currently resisting the urge to have a third helping.
A friend surprised me with a belated Christmas present: a selection of flavored olive oils and balsamic vinegars from Oil & Vinegar, and I can’t tell you how excited I am to try them out. Garlic olive oil is my favorite, and the blood-orange olive oil is wonderful. The other flavors I haven’t tried yet, but I’m excited to!
The bottles are pretty enough that I’m tempted to just put them on display somewhere and not open them… but then I wouldn’t get to taste the deliciousness within.
And that just won’t do.
365 projects are surprisingly difficult. Though, my new year’s resolution was to keep a journal and write in it every day, and so far I’ve been keeping up with that, but I haven’t been keeping up with my photo project. Oh well.
My roommate got a bullet blender for Christmas, and made a resolution to make smoothies at least once a week, because they’re just so good for you. I decided to get in on that, so I picked up some fruit and threw together this berry-mango-orange concoction.
Can I just say, YUM.