Head to Head: Golf apps
There are two types of golfers; those who are on the green and those who are wishing they were. Regardless of the type you are, if you're into using gadgets to get an edge on the links, there's no lack of golf-related apps in Apple's store.
While whipping out your phone on the second fairway may breach the code of good golf etiquette, here are a couple of apps that offer swing insight from the pros:
Golf Digest, the popular publication has created a mobile app to perfect your game through video lessons from a variety of well-known golfers. Instructional videos are led by pro coaches, including Hank Hanley, Jim McLean and David Leadbetter.
With the Golf Digest Tips Plus app (free), you can access 120 tips, 700 detailed images with approximately 80 how-to-videos as well as customize your own lesson plans.
Every video has high production value and often highlights previous articles featured in Golf Digest magazine. Many of the videos are hosted by Golf Digest editors and there is even an in-app option to view the editor's Twitter stream.
Golfers can choose from several categories such as swing, putting and short game. Each category offers a generous amount of sub categories loaded with details such as how to widen your V-Gap for power. Additionally, they've added golf exercises to assist you in off-course workouts. A nice feature to prepare golfers for the strength they'll need for an explosive swing.
Golf instruction app for iPhone, iPod touch, iPad (free) by PumpOne
The lesson plans are highly customizable and really make the app stand out. The user interface, within the lessons, provides a drag-and-drop function to add videos. Golfers can build a lesson from scratch by choosing from any category while filtering based on the numerous pro instructors.
Upon finding a well suited video for your lesson, you can simply drag and drop the lesson to the add column to set in motion. After completing the lesson just navigate through the videos added in the lesson by swiping left or right. Users can create their own tips by adding notes with attached photos.
The power of statistics is lost on this app. The ability to input statistics or at least an in-app scoring feature would put this application over the top.
Golfplan with Paul Azinger ($4.99) combines video lessons from pro golfer Paul Azinger with real-time statistics of your game. The app includes more than 60 instructional videos and helpful drills, all starring the Ryder cup captain.
From the gorgeous user interface, students can initiate a month-long lesson plan. The lessons are carefully placed to ease you into the more difficult tips.
The video screen propels users to HD video lessons under these categories; driving, greens in regulation, short game, bunkers and putting. By selecting short game, for example, you can hear what the primary differences are between a chip and a, pitch straight from a pro.
Golf instriction app for iPhone, iPod touch, iPad ( $4.99 ) by Shotzoom Software
If you discover a helpful tip that you'd like to share it is possible to send any one of the videos via e-mail, Twitter or Facebook. Pleasantly surprising, it allows all videos to be shared for free, without a gimmicky trick intended to get your friends to purchase the app.
Another impressive feature is the analysis of statistics, nicely compiled into chart and histogram form. In order to record data, users must download the free Golfshot app to score a round of golf. Information can later be synchronized within the Golfplan app.
The reports are sorted by statistical categories like putting, and it displays your stats against the HCP index average (handicap average). By tilting the device into landscape mode the chart will transform into a visual of historical analysis. Additionally, once users have scored a game, the app will adjust the golf lessons to reflect the categories where you clearly need assistance -- with no teasing from Azinger.
Videos can be added to favourites, which isn't a solution for quick access. This option would be more useful if "favouriting" an item wasn't merely marking the video with a star. Despite their great idea to analyze stats, It seems counter-productive to be required to use two apps; obviously the end-user would benefit from it shipping with all the features within one app.
The Bottom Line:
The Golf Digest app has loads of tips and tricks for the golf student, but with the clever combination of statistics and the option to share any video with friends, Paul Azinger's app is just the right club.
Android users definitely have one up on other devices in the browser game with enhanced abilities not available in Apple's walled garden. This in mind, it's no surprise Android phones are now leading iPhones in sales, though to be fair, we have to wonder if this is due to iPhone fans waiting for the 4G or the iPad. Sadly many of these rich new browsers are only available on Androids running the 2.0+ operating system.
The Android browser, Skyfire 2.0 was recently released in the midst of Apple-Flash hysteria, answering prayers with it's flash video-enabled browser, and now the Dolphin Browser HD has hit the market. It sports features that make web browsing on the Android a sweet, sweet experience.
Dolphin Browser HD has a beautiful user interface, supports a smoother multi-touch pinch zoom, multiple tabbed browsing, the downloading of html pages and up until very recently, it supported the downloading of YouTube videos the the microSD card.
New version of the Dolphin Browser (free) by Dolphin Browser
Who among us hasn't had the experience of viewing a site not optimized for mobile viewing? The Dolphin Browser HD has included a handy mobile view feature for these frustrating situations. Just select mobile view and the site will be reformatted for your device.
Searching within a page for a keyword and flick navigation has been implemented to speed up your Web browsing adventure. Users can flick down to eliminate the address bar and enter full screen viewing or flick left to right to access the window thumbnails and add-ons. Activating window thumbnails with one swipe is a very useful option if you're the multi-tasking-tab type.
Using the power of touch-screen technology users can control the browser in a very unique way -- by drawing on the screen. Gestures enable users to draw a request on the screen for commands such as adding a bookmark, refreshing or loading a URL.
In the gesture settings users can optionally draw their own gesture-symbols. Feel free to assign The Globe and Mail with a "G" and any time you want to access, simply draw the character on the screen.
Similar to desktop browsers, the Dolphin Browser HD has browser add-ons and themes that can be installed within the app. There are a limited number of add-ons currently available; Twitter share, bookmarks to SD and Androidtapp RSS to list a few. RSS feeds are recognized automatically while on a site and appear flush to the site address.
As I mentioned earlier, users have the ability to watch and could formerly save YouTube videos to the microSD card in mp4 format. One's of it's best features until Google
had the feature removed. Google states it violates the terms of service of it's video site YouTube which states in the TOS "Content on the Website is provided to you AS IS for your information and personal use only and may not be downloaded, copied."
It's not indicative of the Android Market to pull apps as it is with Apple, unfortunately it's pretty clear Android users won't see this feature going forward. Dolphin Browser HD is a solid choice for users but is now less likely to make iPhone users drool.
To rid the app of ads, which only appear while viewing bookmarks, users can purchase a Dolphin license for $4.99