CaloryGuard HD Review
iPad App
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CaloryGuard HD Review

Our Review by Ryan Wood on July 23rd, 2010
Rating: starstarhalfstarblankstarblankstar :: NO BAGEL?
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CaloryGuard HD is a great idea with terrible execution. A limited food listing combined with setting issues right off the bat make it more of a chore then a help.

Developer: Blue Bamboo
Price: $3.99
Version Reviewed: 2.80
Device Reviewed On: 3G 16gig iPad
iPhone Integration Rating: starstarhalfstarblankstarblankstar
User Interface Rating: starstarhalfstarblankstarblankstar
Re-use / Replay Value Rating: starstarblankstarblankstarblankstar

Overall Rating: starstarhalfstarblankstarblankstar

I knew that CaloryGuard wasn’t for me the instant I tried to put in a bagel with peanut butter, and there wasn’t an entry for both. For an app to work for me, it has to make my job of hating to eat right and exercise easier, or I’ll simply stop worrying about it. CaloryGuard, with a lengthy input process and a whole slew of missing foods, does not do that.

Being that there are segregated app stores, it would have occurred to me to switch the app from the metric system to the English system of measurements before the app became available in the U.S. As I turned the app on and it requested that I input my weight, height, etc. I realized that wasn’t going to happen unless I decided to convert my pounds into kilograms. So before I even got to use the app I was hunting for settings to make it usable for me. This was BEFORE I saw no bagel and no peanut butter, so it already wasn’t going well.

CaloryGuard does have a plethora of pre-programmed foods in its database, and I realize that having more entries might be costly of memory space. I consider bagels to be a staple of the American breakfast menu, and to not have something as common as that seems to really miss the point of convenience.

There are lots of other features that help to make CaloryGuard acceptable for those willing to do the work though. Percentage breakdowns of calories help to determine which foods should be eaten when. A day, week, month, and 6 month breakdown are available to track long term performance, and a syncing and online capability option allow for CaloryGuard HD to converse with its smaller counter-part, CaloryGuard 2, and if you’ve purchased a Withings Body Scale you can have your weight automatically uploaded to the app. It just seems costly to purchase all of this equipment for convenience sake.

CaloryGuard HD is available for $3.99 and has the potential to help people lose weight. You need to have a dedication to the whole process for that to happen, but once you get everything you usually eat entered, it shouldn’t be a big issue. With two jobs, a new baby, volunteer hours, and family gatherings, I just don’t have that time to devote to the process.

iPad Screenshots

(click to enlarge)

CaloryGuard HD - Lose weight, track calories, share your success! screenshot 1 CaloryGuard HD - Lose weight, track calories, share your success! screenshot 2 CaloryGuard HD - Lose weight, track calories, share your success! screenshot 3 CaloryGuard HD - Lose weight, track calories, share your success! screenshot 4
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