Articles by Travis Ehrlich

World Series of Poker Hold’em Legend Free for iPhone/Touch App Review

Sunday evening I came home from playing some low stakes poker with some of my coaching buddies and still felt like playing.  I searched for a good iPad poker game but came up empty handed so I searched on the iPhone for some poker goodness.  There is a number of poker apps on the phone so I first tried a free game just to see how much I liked it.  Well, that turned out to be a great decision since I found a fantastic Texas Hold ’em game that I can play anytime. Anyone who enjoys poker has watched it…


Review: Pocket Radar

I have mentioned my coaching exploits many times.  I just finished my twelfth season as the head girl’s fastpitch softball coach.  We had the best regular season in school history staying undefeated until losing in the state playoffs.  One thing that has really changed over those twelve years is pitching.  High school pitching now is as good if not better as some college pitching when I started coaching.  With the pitching rubber only 43 feet from the plate, the speed of the pitching is a huge issue in my line of work.  Most teams own a radar gun to not…


Shift for iPhone/Touch

Once again my weekly app store search has brought yet another game.  This week’s choice combines subtle, simple graphics and a cool soundtrack with platform game play and puzzle strategy into a truly addictive and unique gaming experience.  Shift utilizes simple, yet intuitive controls to guide the character through each level.  The game usually costs $.99 but has been free the past couple of days. Shift’s graphics are extremely simple, yet work amazingly well.  No fancy 3D rendering or colorful puzzles, just black and white.  Much like Spy vs. Spy, the game is entirely in black and white which is…


Angry Birds for iPhone/Touch App Review

It is summer and time to have some fun.  I have recently heard rumblings of another great iPhone game.  The game was mentioned in the same sentences as Plants vs. Zombies so my ears perked up and I paid attention.  I needed to check out the game if it is near as good and addictive as what I was hearing.  First I tried the Lite version and thought about using it as the Blue Plate Special, but I was having so much fun I had to go ahead and buy the full version. I was trying to find the words…


Virgin Mobile Broadband2Go Wireless USB Modem Review

One thing modern technology and being a gadget freak brings is lots of monthly bills.  iPhone, Netflix, Satellite, home internet.  When you think about it, it seems we are being nickel and dimed to death with monthly charges.  Being a father of two and earning a meager wage, the addition of more of these monthly charges is not an option.  There are many new mobile internet devices that look compelling, but I never can work the monthly fees into my budget.  Enter Virgin Mobile’s Broadband2Go. Virgin Mobile was kind enough to send me a Broadband2Go Wireless USB Modem to try…


Glass Tower 2 for iPhone/Touch App Review

Many puzzle games involve items or shapes falling from the top of the screen that must be eliminated in some way.  Basically they are a take on Tetris which I loved to play back in my early high school days.  Every now and then one of these games is actually unique and fun.  I came across Glass Tower 2 on a random search of the app store and it turned out to be a great game. The game is free, but very limited with only 10 levels that may not be repeated.  Extra level packs are available for $.99 and…


We Rule…Just a Money Grab?!?

Courtesy of Steve Wampler The first day I had an ipad, my kiddos were super excited and demanded that I get some games. Of course I had to listen!  After a few hours of Plants vs Zombies, they wanted more. Translation, I needed to find a new game for them to play. I remembered hearing about the game We Rule on a podcast so we took a look. The boys were instantly hooked! We Rule might best be described as farmville on steroids. You farm your crops and the more you raise the better things go. You add businesses, houses and…


Bloons TD Lite for iPhone/Touch App Review

Working at a school allows me to see many different fads and phenomena.  Sometimes it is a certain clothing style, a catch phrase, a certain style of purse or shoes etc…  This year the craze seems to be a certain flash game.  The game is available on an educational website that is actually not blocked by the filter at our school.  There is a huge number of games to play but one has become the default for almost everyone.  Bloons Tower Defense is not only played by the students in spare moments in the computer lab, but the coaching staff…


SportBoard for iPad Review

As a coach, it is exciting seeing possibilities new technologies are bringing to the profession.  In the past I have reviewed a few iPhone apps that have performed a task, but were definitely limited in their abilities.  After the iPad was announced, there was even a discussion about using the iPad to coach basketball on my favorite basketball forum Texas Basketball Coaches or TBC.  Even non-tech savvy coaches instantly saw the possibilities of the new device. SportBoard for the iPad allows coaches to use the device to draw basketball plays just like you would on a dry erase clipboard.  Draw…


Review: M-Edge Leisure Jacket For iPad

Finding the iPad case that is right for me has proven to be a difficult task.  There are so many options and styles, finding the perfect option is truly an exercise in trial and error.  I thought I would give the iPad Leisure Jacket by M-Edge a try since it is compact and provides a lot of protection from the environment.  The product has left me with mixed results.  Kind of an interesting idea that does not work. Features * The Leisure Jacket provides superior protection against sand, dirt, and     moisture by utilizing a read-through, clear vinyl cover. * Protective…


2nd Opinion for iPhone/Touch App Review

I am not going to lie…many of the apps on my iPhone are used primarily for entertainment and wasting some spare time.  Most of these time wasters are games, but every now and then a non-game entertainment app is discovered.  2nd Opinion is not considered a game, but can be just as addicting.  If you like crowdsourcing or answering random questions, this will be quite entertaining. 2nd Opinion is a collection of user asked yes/no questions.  The questions can be any subject and can include a photo.  As more users download the app, the number of questions rises quickly so…


Review: Math Ninja For iPhone/Touch

Today’s gadgets are often a great source of wasting time, especially for kids.  Many complain that all of these games and mindless fun keep the youth from learning the important things.  Who wants to study math flash cards when an iPhone or iPod Touch is sitting there loaded with games?  As an educator, I love to see games that build knowledge especially in children.  I remember the pain I felt when my parents forced me to sit down and memorize my flash cards.  I also remember the joy I felt when my friend’s parents would let us play Math Blaster…


ID Vault for iPhone/Touch/iPad App Review

One thing that has come to annoy me on the iPhone is logging into sites.  Whether it be a website for shopping or a forum, for some reason logging in seems to be a task I try to avoid.  Clicking on the small log in screen boxes is not always easy and sometimes formatting issues makes the experience not very iPhone like.  How about an app that can do all of this for you while keeping all of that log in information as well as credit card numbers secure?  ID Vault proves to solve this issue with a one tap…


Review: iLuv 9.7″ Neoprene Sleeve for iPad

Last week, I joined the ranks of new iPad owners.  Yes, I’m a little late to the game, but you do what you have to!  The device is all it is made out to be; it is a beautiful piece of gear.  The first thing that crossed my mind when I pulled it out of the box was how to protect this beauty.  I was not completely interested in a large case to carry the iPad by itself.  Since I have a gear backpack, I thought it would be best if I just had some sort of sleeve to hold…


Knocking Live Video for iPhone App Review

  This weekend, my brother Sam asked me if I had that app that you knock on somebody’s phone and then can see what their camera sees. When I told him I did not, he was excited to actually have an app recommendation for me. I was also surprised to find out the app did not require the 3GS.  The app actually creates a live stream to another iPhone using the built-in camera. Now this Blue Plate recommendation is sort of a mixed review and your mileage may vary. We quickly tested the app both ways with fairly good results. …


Review: iParadise for iPhone/Touch/iPad

Need a vacation, but just cannot get away?  Maybe you are single and just wish for a romantic trip to paradise with a significant other.  Either way, your iPhone can now take you away with your love to an exotic island.  iParadise offers a truly unique and deep iPhone experience.  Almost any activity that can be enjoyed at an island resort is available in the iParadise getaway. I have to admit, when I first opened the game, I was not too sure what exactly to expect.  The idea of taking a fake vacation seemed strange.  Puzzle, word and arcade style…


Air Video Free for iPhone/Touch/iPad App Review

Last week I was syncing my wife’s iPhone and she told me she wished a couple of movies would fit on her phone.  I could fit a movie on the phone, but would have to delete some of her music which she did not want me to do.  When our boys go to bed, she sits in their room while they doze off and plays on her phone so that is a perfect opportunity to watch some video.  I immediately went to the app store and began to search for a solution and found Air Video Free. Air Video Free…


Calorie Counter by FatSecret for iPhone/Touch/iPad

As I explained in a recent review, about six years ago I lost a large amount of weight and began getting back into shape.  I have kept up a strenuous workout routine until just recently.  The stresses of work, kids, bills and most of all graduate school caused me to begin to slack on my workouts.  I was still jogging or lifting weights, but only a couple days a week at best rather than my six days of disciplined workouts.  During that time, I briefly tried a few apps on my phone to help count calories but my heart, energy…


FoodEssentials Scanner for iPhone Review

About six years ago I made the decision to change my life.  Being an athlete all of my life, I was pushed to get bigger and had always consumed a lot of calories since I burned so many.  When I began coaching, I spent all of my time teaching others how to be athletes, and there was no time to do my own sports.  I tried many dieting options with no luck until I tried the Atkins plan.  Long story short, I lost 100 pounds and got back into shape.  I now live a low-carb lifestyle and have maintained my…


Review: Basketball Coach’s Clipboard For iPhone/Touch/iPad

The clipboard is a tool of the trade for basketball coaches that has been used for decades.  I never coach a game without my trusty board sitting under my chair.  The basketball clipboard is simple.  A white dry erase clipboard with a basketball court diagram and a dry erase marker.  The come in many sizes and configurations but all have the same function.  Not high-tech by any means, but extremely useful.  In fact, the only change in this technology is the switch from chalk boards to dry erase.  Watch any game and you will see the boards come out at…


Ragdoll Blaster 2 Lite for iPhone/Touch/iPad App Review

The iPhone has become a great puzzle gaming platform.  A style of game I have come to enjoy are physics puzzles.  There are many different versions of the genre, but each of them use the amazing physics possibilities on the iPhone to create a unique game.  So to carry on the idea of uniqueness, how about firing rag dolls out of a canon to solve the puzzle?  Well, that is exactly how Ragdoll Blaster 2 is played. The idea of the game was strange to me at first also.  Once you play the game though, the addictiveness of shooting rag…