FREE
iPhone/iPod Touch Only
Version: 1.0
Tested on: iPod Touch 4G (iOS 4.3.2)
Rating: 4 of 5
I always like to take candid photographs. Sometimes they can tell stories by themselves. But, most of the times, you want to stitch multiple of them to make the stories even better. Or maybe, add a short video clip highlighting certain unforgettable moments. Well now we have a new iPhone app that would help us doing so. Blurb Mobile is a very easy to use iPhone app that will help you create stories and share them with the ones you care most.
The app starts with asking you to sign up to their site. Signing up would allow you to upload your stories later into their site and share it with the whole world from there. Next up, you can immediately create your story by selecting a series of photographs and videos you want to be included in your story. No need to worry about the sequence because you can always rearrange them within the app.
Blurb Mobile does a very good job in zooming in pictures, rotating them, and changing their size. As the following screenshots illustrate, it's very easy to convert a picture from its original landscape format to a square format, and then to portrait format. The app automatically resizes the boundaries of the photograph.
A story would not be a complete story until it can tell the story by itself. This app allows you to add text caption to each photographs. This helps the readers to understand the context of the photographs and the story they're trying to tell. The apps also allows you to add audio captions too.
If you're thinking, can I change the theme too? Of course yes! The app comes with several themes that you can choose from. This feature would give more you more flexibility and customization. Now, if only the app allows you to stitch more than 8 photographs. Maybe you're gonna need to upgrade to the Pro version for that. For me, I believe constraints help you be more creative. Come on guys, be creative and share your stories!
SPOILER: Yes, I'm thinking of using Instagram and various cool image filter apps combined with Viddy to make a real awesome story. I definitely dig this!
Check out my other iPhone app reviews here.
I want this for the ipad!
ReplyDeleteCompletely buggy and FULL of blurb adverts. Beware, you can't delete stories if you want to. NOT supported.
ReplyDeleteIm sorry you do not like the app.
ReplyDeleteThanks for the feedback, we are trying to review only the apps that our readers might like.
Have a great day,
ES
Well, it's a cool idea for sure. It's just that it hasn't been implemented well. Let's say you post a story and someone in that story doesn't want it published or you change your mind and decide it wasn't such a good idea to publish it. Guess what? You can't delete it.
ReplyDeleteI'm sure they're working on fixing all the bugs, and hopefully they'll get rid of some of the adverts.. at least a little for those who've paid for the app, but for now, it's just not there. See for your self. It's VERY buggy and you can't delete stories if you want.
I trust what your saying but cannot try it because I only have an ipad, not an iphone.
ReplyDeleteI appreciate you reading our reviews and posts here, would you like a code for Auryn Ink? If so, please leave your email too.
I've actually been waiting for something like this to come out for awhile. I also already have a blurb account and have used their services before. I travel blog quite a bit and am a fine art photographer, so this app would be perfect for me. Here's a recent travel blog in Mexico: http://www.kaleidoscopeofcolor.com/mexico-2011/
ReplyDeleteAnd, here's some of my photographic work: http://www.kaleidoscopeofcolor.com/galleria/
It's just a shame this missed the mark so bad, at least on the iPhone, but I haven't deleted it yet. Since it's the first version, I'm hoping they fix all the bugs in the next update.
Yes, I would like a code for Auryn Ink. You can send via my contact page here: http://www.kaleidoscopeofcolor.com/make-contact/
Oh.. I get it. This isn't really a "review" site. ALL of your reviews are good and you really don't want anyone to post anything to the contrary. I tried to reply with more explanation how I cam to my conclusion abou this app and a link to my contact page for you to send me code for Auryn Ink, but now it says my posts have to be approved by the moderator. LOL
ReplyDeleteNo worries. I get what this "review" site REALLY is.
Cheers,
Skip
Hi there, Skip.
ReplyDeleteI'm sorry if we start on the wrong feet here.
The comment settings are setup in a way that if you post links, the admin needs to approve it before you can see the comments.
This is a very common practice applied to all other sites too.
Regarding bad reviews, yes we have bad reviews as well, even though it's not as much as the good reviews.
The reason behind it is that we have a limited amount of time on our hands, and when we post, we'd like to highlight the ones we like.
I myself review more than 10 apps everyday, but not all make it to the review site, because I really want to keep it to the good ones whenever possible.
And sometimes, we made mistakes too. Being overhyped and thinking that some app might be good at our first sight, but turned out to be a bad app if you use it for more than a week.
These things happen and we're trying very hard to prevent them from happening again.
Thank you so much for your feedback. They're very valuable for us. Please keep in touch by sending us more feedback. We can't undo our past, but we'll try our best for the future.
Eric Pramono
@Eric Pramono
ReplyDeleteI get it. Well, all I can say is the only reason I came to this site was because two of the apps I commented on "Moleskine" and "blurb mobile" were apps I was really looking forward to using and found them to be seriously flawed.
I was hoping that I'd learn in one of your reviews that I'd done something wrong or there was some setting I'd neglected to get the app to perform correctly. Then, I mention the issues I've found and was hoping someone would set me straight so that I too could get a 4-5star experience out of these apps. Instead, the first reply was "sorry you didn't like the app..."
Just trying to offer experience with these apps that I've honestly been trying to get to work correctly ever since they came out. I figured a reviewer having a 4/5star experience with them might be able to shed light on how I too may have the same positive experience.
New to the site and like the look and layout. Will check back from time to time and see how it evolves. Thanks.
I started using the new Blurb Mobile app last week. I have to say it is impressive. Just being able to sequence my videos and photos into a story on my iPhone is fun (and a bit addictive). When you throw in annotating photos with text and audio, I can start to see where the app can become a constant way to share what I am doing. Blurb needs to turn the jets on social sharing, if they do that....I am hooked. If your into using all your media to directly connect your friends to what's up in your world....this app is a great choice.
ReplyDeleteHi Skiphunt, I saw your earlier post...I did encounter a bug that caused a crash, but, it was related to my location setting being turned off. I checked the Blurb Mobile landing page in the app store and saw that they suggested it should be turned on. What I am a little confused about is your comment about the app being full of adverts (which I assume is advertising - but, I may not understand this lingo). I didn't see a single place for any advertising....other than their off the home page upgrade screen. I agree 100% that they need to get the sharing side figured out...with a focus on social. I would think / hope they are not standing still....so, if they smooth out the rough edges this app is a very interesting direction for the iPhone. I thought the price (free for me) was pretty good ;- ) I will let them get it right and buy the upgrade.
ReplyDelete@0c63fd268370ae1283ee2e90eea614a3:disqus .. I was able to get the app to work, and already know about the locations setting. Trouble is, this app is very unstable in its current form. Sometimes it works fine and sometimes doesn't work at all. Just read the reviews on iTunes. Some can't get it to work at all. Another BIG problem is that if you publish a story and decide you don't want it published and would rather delete it, you can't. Not supported yet.
ReplyDeleteYour stories get published to blurb's server, NOT to your phone for sharing. So when you share a story (that can't be deleted) that's when you get the blurb book adverts.
Don't get me wrong, it's a good idea for sure. But, they need to allow you to delete your stories. Let's say you publish a story about an event that happened at a friends house and then you discover your friend would prefer that story NOT be published on a public server for anyone to view. You CANNOT delete it. So be very careful what you publish. blurb won't delete it for you either.
Including adverts and mentions of blurb's products is perfectly acceptable for the free app, but if you pay for the PRO in-app upgrade.. that should get rid of the adverts. However, it does not.
I haven't deleted it off my phone yet because I'm hoping it evolves into something I can actually use. At present, it's far too flawed and unstable to be useful.
.. I was able to get the app to work, and already know about the locations setting. Trouble is, this app is very unstable in its current form. Sometimes it works fine and sometimes doesn't work at all. Just read the reviews on iTunes. Some can't get it to work at all. Another BIG problem is that if you publish a story and decide you don't want it published and would rather delete it, you can't. Not supported yet.
ReplyDeleteYour stories get published to blurb's server, NOT to your phone for sharing. So when you share a story (that can't be deleted) that's when you get the blurb book adverts.
Don't get me wrong, it's a good idea for sure. But, they need to allow you to delete your stories. Let's say you publish a story about an event that happened at a friends house and then you discover your friend would prefer that story NOT be published on a public server for anyone to view. You CANNOT delete it. So be very careful what you publish. blurb won't delete it for you either.
Including adverts and mentions of blurb's products is perfectly acceptable for the free app, but if you pay for the PRO in-app upgrade.. that should get rid of the adverts. However, it does not.
I haven't deleted it off my phone yet because I'm hoping it evolves into something I can actually use. At present, it's far too flawed and unstable to be useful.
Hi Skiphunt,
ReplyDeleteI like your enthusiasm.
I actually got the updated V1.02 via the app store upgrade. It appears to fix all (or, 95%) of the issues you mention. You might want to try it out. This week they turned on the ability to delete a story from the web site. So, you can delete a story from the phone or the web. That problem is fixed. I agree that this was a huge hole...I am glad it it is fixed. It is clear that the Blurb developers are awake, listening and moving forward.
I am still not following the advertising comments. I don't see any ads in the app itself....are you talking about on the Blurb web site ? The only "ad" on my home page is one for Blurb Books. That doesn't bother me to much. In fact, I am thinking about making a book. I just wish they would offer a discount :- ) there.
I continue to think this app (with the fixes rolling in) is very interesting. I find myself playing with media all the time looking at different combinations that might a stronger story sequence. The one thing that continues to be my main ask is being able to see other people's stories on my phone. I actually don't care as much about going back to the web to see stories larger. If they do that....this app has to take prime position as my key way to share what is happening..and follow my friends.
I hope you are able to use this app and that they get sharing figured out....would love to actually see the stories you create with the app.
The problem with ads is on the site. I've made blurb books and sometimes they're ok, and sometimes their quality control is horrible. On top of that I find their products grossly over-priced. I know I don't have to buy their products if I'm not satisfied with their quality/pricing, but if I buy their app & produce my own content to share, I don't want to also be advertising a product I don't currently support to my friends and family, etc.
ReplyDeleteIf I'm paying for the PRO version of the app, the stories I share should be completely ad-free.
Like I said, I like the idea but don't want to have to use my content to advertise their book products if I've paid for the app. I would definitely buy & use thus app if they got rid of the ads where my story is hosted. I'd be using it right now as a matter of fact. Right now in South Padre I'm using instagram, zapd & viddy.
Here's the zapd I've currently got going: http://315k.zapd.co
Update: Recently tried blurb mobile again after the most recent update. They seem to have solved most of the problems I initially had with it. Now, it's actually a pretty cool digital story tool. Cool for travel blogging too!
ReplyDeleteYou can login and delete stories now as well. Here's a test one I did after the update: http://www.blurb.com/mobile/show/0d33a5f7