Skyrim Alchemy (free version) for iOS

You can find the app on iTunes store, or by following the link on the app's blog: http://skyrimalchemy.blogspot.ca/

This app lets you try new and different alchemy recipes without wasting your in game ingredients. Now this app has a very simple User Interface and trust me when it's this type of app the simpler the better!  You can select a single effect, then choose two ingredients from the filtered lists accessed by the silver buttons saying "Select Ingredient", and then one more ingredient whose effects match either or both of the first two ingredients.  It will also tell you what effects that potion will have if you were to make it in game.  I find it VERY handy when I'm trying to track down that one perfect potion, or just to avoid negative effects on positive potions by changing ingredients (I don't spend any perks in my alchemy constellation in game, even though I try to max out my alchemy skill).

Also there is a secondary function where you select two effects and it gives you a list of possible ingredient combinations to give you those two effects in a single potion.  Be warned though, cause the second effect list isn't filtered like the ingredient lists are in the primary screen.  I have found a few effects that would be nice to have together, but just won't go together.

I have one issue with it (and it's a minor issue): I want the buttons to be bigger!  It's not that I don't have any dexterity in my fingers, it's just that I like a little wiggle room and padding when the only UI shown is a few buttons.  I'm not saying the screen needs to be filled with them, but 5 to 10 extra pixels bigger each would be nice.

So does it pass mustard? yes
Should you buy the pay version? well if you have some money left over on your app store card it'd be nice to support the author, but there's no added incentive past "Disable ads" to go pay.

The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim Official World Interactive Map (iPhone)

It's crap.  The visuals are cartoony, the free version only shows holds, the extra content (and there's a lot) costs $0.99 for every single unlock!  Are you kidding me?  15 unlocks, all $0.99 or you can buy the whole lot for $9.99, but I already downloaded the app for free, why do I have to pay!?? and the worst part is trying to add a pin to the map.  touch pins, touch add pin, touch map where you want the pin, see a big white box with only a done button on it, click done, oh where's the pin? zoom in all the way, oh, I think it's that little tiny red ball there... STUPID!!!   I'm guessing that the big white box is so you can type something in it, and pins do keep after you turn off the app, but it's just so unwieldy.  there's a button on the start screen that lets you download all the maps at once, taking up 970MB of space on your iPhone and easily that much bandwidth.  I've tried this app without an internet connection, and it works, but only up to a certain level of zoom, because for high zoom levels it has to download a new map from the internet.  Because of this.... let's call it a zoom threshold.... and many other things (like a lack of help or usage instructions) I'm going to say that Prima Guide's Skyrim Official World Interactive Map for iPhone does NOT pass mustard.

Breakdown:

• is it a map? yes
• So is it interactive? yes
• does it work on my iPhone 3GS? yes
• Does it show where you've been in skyrim? You can tell the app what places you've discovered, but only if you've payed for everything, the free one only gives you the different hold cities.
• Does it show dungeon placements etc.? yes if you pay for them
• does it make noise? yes, but you can turn that off
• is there a search funciton? yes but to find anything that's actually hard to find (i.e. not hold cities) you'll need to pay for content.

My final verdict is that if you want an interactive map that already has everything on it, there's a free one at UESP.net based on google's tech:  http://www.uesp.net/maps/srmap/srmap.shtml and it'll work on your iPhone's browser, so it's easily better than this app, even though you need an internet connection to use it.

The Simpsons Tapped Out

Electronic Arts. Okay now that you are done booing at the world's largest video game producer, check out this iPhone game: The Simpsons Tapped Out.  It's a village building game with a Simpsons twist.  It does have some connection issues when you use EA's Origin service to connect to your friends.  When I say some connection issues I mean if you like to play weekends and super late night you won't be able to, cause it won't connect after midnight or during a Saturday.  Works gorgeously every other time though.  I just love it.  All the most memorable landmarks from Springfield USA are in it.  Like the Kwik E Mart and Krusty Burger.  You get a whole bunch of characters too like Homer, Lisa, Ned, Apu, Krusty, and Milhouse (that's as far as I've gotten so far).  I'm currently working on getting enough moneys (in game currency) to buy the School.  There's also magic donuts that can speed any action up quickly.  They cost real money, so don't go spending all the free ones you get right away.

Passed Mustard.

Real Steel

Boxing movie, but with robots.  Check out IMDB or Amazon for plot synopsis.  I loved it, and so did my girlfriend.  So it Passed Mustard without a doubt.

Google AdSense

Now I have used AdSense on my blogs, in fact I've even blogged about getting it and loosing it.  I must say that it's an ingenious way to make money for practically nothing, but for those of us that have be suspended from further use, it can be rather frustrating.  For instance I no longer have AdSense, and so I no longer profit from any ads you may see on this or any of my other blogs.  My only way I'll profit from a reader right now is if they decide to ChipIn and send me some money.  Now while it was active, I had clicked on a couple AdSense ads because I was curious what they were about, and if there was any merit or connection to this blog.  Turns out even one click from yourself can get you banned from AdSense for all time.  So that's it, no more AdSense, no more free money from Google.  I can't even do any of those get rich quick schemes you see all over.

Anyway this is a review site, and I can't just leave you without any reviews.  So, it was actually nice to be able to see not only click traffic, but where the clicks came from and what sort of things were getting clicked on.  It showed all sorts of handy things like balance, $ per click rate, and a list of all enabled websites and blogs.  I believe there's a newer layout now, but the old one was pretty clean and easy to use much like the new blogger experience and all the other Google page re-designs to make everything look more like Google+.

Does not pass mustard, because it penalizes the curious, with no forgiveness.  You may not agree with me on this one, and that's ok, just don't think you can change my mind on it.

Chip in

This is a mini-review of www.chipin.com.

Creates an event to allow others to "Chip in" and help pay for things.  Chip ins are sent directly to your paypal account using the e-mail address you used to sign up for paypal.  It's very handy, works every time, and I've been using it for years already.  If you want to see how chipping in works, just click the orange Chip In button on the right.

Passed Mustard!

NOTE:  The whole chipin.com website was closed on March 7 2013... Don't bother with this any more, the review has been downgraded to "doesn't cut the mustard".

Mr. Bounce (from Pixelate)

I'm talking about the Chrome app Mr. Bounce from Pixelate.  Essentially you have to break bubbles with a little bouncing square.  You can control how high and which way it bounces depending on where you move the dotted line and the paddle.  You can also slow down the ball for a short time.  With such a simple interface, and easy to learn design I say it is one of the more addicting games made for chrome.  I wouldn't say it's as necessary to have as Angry Birds or Google Calendar, but it deserves a hard won spot on my second page.  Passed Mustard.

Also can be found for iPad and iPhone for $0.99 on iTunes, or the "LITE" version for free.  It's a little more complex to play, with a screen region to push for slo-mo, but still passes mustard.