It isn't too often that you come across an application in the Google Play Store that makes you stop and say: "Man, I really wish I would have thought of that." But the folks at 1spire Inc. seemed to have accomplished just that with their brand new app bitmado. Bitmado, is not just an app with a cool name, but a great new innovative tool for customizing wallpaper backgrounds for Android devices. The app is gaining a lot of fan support online which will hopefully lead to improvements and further innovations by the developers.
Yes, bitmado is first and foremost a wallpaper customization tool for Android users. But the real heart and soul of this new application is the clear and easy way that it combines the personalization of one's device with an easy to use social mechanic. The idea is simple, you vote up for wallpapers you like and down for those you don't. The application calculates total votes among the masses of bitmado users and grants you your wallpaper. For those wallpapers you really love, you can use a "bump" button to make up votes count for more. Users can even earn more "bumps" to use as vote multipliers by uploading their own wallpapers to the community, creating a thriving and collaborative experience.
Upon downloading bitmado, users will be asked to login to bitmado using Facebook or Google+. By doing so the user gains access to bitmado's social voting mechanic. While this will inevitably be an unattractive prerequisite for using bitmado, it’s a small obstacle in the way of such a unique creative experience. That being said, I hope to see this replaced with at the very least other account options like Twitter or just an email account in the future; this seems to be a sore spot for the application.
As far as presentation goes, bitmado is right where it needs to be for the moment. The application is easy to navigate around and the different wallpaper catagories referred to as "mados" give the user a growing number of wallpaper themes to choose from. As for the wallpapers themselves, no complaints here. They are bright and vibrant and usually a great change of pace for my Android device. It’s a great surprise to see what my wallpaper has changed to when I unlock my phone.
The Verdict
The Good: Bitmado utilizes a fresh, fun, and innovative way for Android users to customize their device's look. Ease of use and creative collaboration keep the application new and useful.
The Bad: Having to login using a Facebook or Google+ account is something that always puts a bad taste in your mouth, no matter what it's for.
The Verdict: Bitmado is going to be a fun experiement for most, and a pointless waste of time for others. While I don't see bitmado becoming the next Instagram anytime soon, I think that with continuous development we could see a flourishing community of creative collaboration that could change how some users personalize their device. I recommend bitmado to any Android owner looking to change things up a bit, and with the application currently available for free on the Google Play Store, users can start voting up and down right away.
NOTE: This app review is provided as part of PhoneDog's paid app review program. More information can be found at http://www.phonedogmedia.com
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