How many sick days do I have left? Do I have enough personal time saved up to make that doctor’s appointment? I really want to get away for a couple of weeks, but I’m not sure I have enough vacation time for it.

We’ve all had these problems. Well with the magic of technological innovation and smart thinking, we can use Time Off to keep track of it all. And I do mean “it all.” Sick days, vacation days, personal days – anything that ultimately equates to paid days off – can be documented. It can keep track of multiple jobs, display accrued time in hours or days, and account for rollover. But perhaps the most impressive (and ingenious) feature is that users can send time-off requests to their employers via email from within the app itself.

I know it seems a little silly but I honestly find the concept behind Time Off to be incredibly exciting. And I think anyone who’s dealt with any (or all) of the issues I’ve mentioned about will probably agree with me.

$1.99

Time Off

iPhone App - Designed for the iPhone, compatible with the iPad
Released: 2011-06-14 :: Category: Business

There was a vast profusion of cool stuff happening across the 148Apps network this week, but the top of the top was the culmination of our 2011 Best App Ever awards. Head honcho Jeff Scott writes, “It was an amazing year. With over 1.5 million votes cast (over three times the number cast last year) and a record number of nominations, we now have the winners of the 2011 Best App Ever Awards. Thanks to all that voted, nominated, and made these fantastic apps!”

Read the full list of winners, and our own Carter Dotson’s take on them, on 148Apps.com.

Kid-friendly GiggleApps featured a review of Fun Clock-Learn to Tell Time. Reviewer Amy Solomon writes, “Few apps actually tackle explaining the true concept of telling time they way this app does. After watching the included video in Fun Clock – Learn to Tell Time, children will be will well on their way to understanding how to read a analogue clock. As a parent, I don’t think I could have explained this better myself, also wishing that this video had been around when I was a child.”

Take the time to read the full review on GiggleApps.

$1.99

Fun Clock for Kids - Learn to tell time

+ Universal App - Designed for iPhone and iPad
Released: 2011-09-22 :: Category: Education

Finally, over at Android Rundown, Carter Dotson took a closer look at Apple’s recent iBooks education initiative and evaluated it for what it could mean for the Android platform. Dotson writes, “It may not have been the sexiest announcement, but Android supporters – manufacturers and users alike – should not underestimate Apple’s education gambit. Their big push into education with iBooks 2 being optimized for textbooks (both the reading and selling thereof) and iTunes U offering deeper integration with college courses could be the necessary roots they have to lay down for long-term success at the expense of Android.”

Read the full commentary on Android Rundown.

FREE!

iBooks

+ Universal App - Designed for iPhone and iPad
Released: 2010-04-02 :: Category: Books

And that’s the week that was. Don’t forget to read a full list of Best App Ever winners at www.bestappever.com, and keep following us on Twitter and Facebook for all the contests, news and reviews you can eat. I’ll be playing Jetpack Joyride non-stop until next week, but I’ll see you back here then.

Pro adventure game developers Telltale Games have released the newest chapter of their popular Sam & Max games on iOS. These classically styled adventure games that follow the zany exploits of the sleuthing dog and rabbit duo are generally split up into shorter, episodic titles, and the same is true for this release. Sam & Max: Beyond Time and Space – Episode 1 ‘Ice Station Santa’ is the first of five episodes in this new adventure and in this episode, Sam and Max take on none other than the big jolly man himself.

This game will include a core story mode as well as a “Whack da Ratz” mini-game and a soundboard where players can craft their own quotes using character voices from the game. Sam & Max: Beyond Space and Time: Episode 1 is currently available in the iOS app store for $6.99, and is a universal app that can be played on iPhone, iPod, or iPad.

$2.99

Sam & Max Beyond Time and Space Ep 1

+ Universal App - Designed for iPhone and iPad
Released: 2012-01-25 :: Category: Games

Ever sit in a coffee shop or at work and wonder if there’s a good movie showing at the local cinema? Need a good way of checking? Sure there’s always looking it up on the internet but how about an app like Showings that is focused purely on cinema related things.

The app allows users to find nearby cinemas and then favorite the ones they regularly go to. It’s then just a simple matter of flicking around the app for more information. Users can take a look at the movie poster, cast, a synopsis of the story, Rotten Tomatoes score and in some cases, also a trailer too.

Of course, there’s also the all important film showing times too which are clearly laid out for all days of the week.

Showings is a simple app but that’s exactly what anyone could want. It gives out the facts quickly and concisely so that users can plan their evening ahead fast.

Showings is out now priced at $0.99.

$1.99

Showings – fast, easy movie times

iPhone App - Designed for the iPhone, compatible with the iPad
Released: 2010-10-14 :: Category: Reference

The iPad has been heralded by many as the future of magazines and the savior of the publishing industry. Magazines like Newsweek are losing circulation and being purchased at fire sale prices. The iPad provides a blank canvas for publishers, content producers, and anyone who wants to innovate. The problem is that the opportunity has not yet been realized.

I remember being thrilled at the prospect of iPad magazines even before the device itself was announced. Sports Illustrated has showcased a great teaser video of their application, and Bonnier’s Mag+ platform also appeared to have potential. The arrival of the iPad shows unrealized potential. Reading apps, like iBooks and Stanza, have shown great ability at translating the book reading experience for a tablet.

PDFs for iPad?
Many publishers have simply translated their magazines to the iPad by making them into PDFs of the print version. Some, like Wired, have added custom UI layers and slight multimedia additions to spruce up their publications. The vertical and horizontal reading interface present in magazines like Wired show that publishers are trying to think out of the box, but they haven’t quite succeeded yet. Unfortunately, the current workflow may not work. A series by Ad Age this week shows that magazine publishers are taking the content from their print editions and dropping them into templates for the iPad. What would happen if magazines were custom designed for the iPad? If the content was specifically designed to take advantage of the iPad’s features? I hope we’ll be able to find out in the coming months.

A Roundup
I’ve reviewed six iPad magazine apps so far, each with their own set of pros and cons:

Wired: An interesting first attempt that falls short due to download size, quirky navigation, and its underlying architecture.
Time: Interesting effort tying live content (News Feed) with magazine content but this is essentially just a PDFed magazine.
Newsweek: The iPad-only edition it includes makes boastful claims, but the app itself can’t compete with the others listed here.
GQ: The men’s interest magazine’s first iPad edition includes a bizarre navigation system but some useful innovations.
Zinio for iPad: The popular and experienced magazine digitizers bring their platform to the iPad and make it one of the few viable options for those interested in magazines.
Popular Science+: Like Wired’s app, bizarre navigation makes Pop Sci difficult to enjoy on Bonnier’s Mag+ platform.

Conclusion
So far, it appears that even lackluster efforts are producing success for publishers. There is clearly more potential for the medium and I’m sure content producers aren’t resting. I can’t wait to see what comes next.