Touchnote: A Little Touch of Life To Go

Written Android App Review

Touchnote is a unique new Android app that allows you to print and send postcards straight from your Android device. Only, you don’t need a printer, you don’t need a stamp and all you have to do to send your card on its way is to make a few quick clicks!

Now this sounds interesting! Android app reviews like this are so much fun!

Features

Here’s how it works. Start by taking a picture on your Android device. Then once you have that perfect shot, just open up Touchnote and select “Make a postcard.” From there you get to edit your photo, add text and then select recipients from your contact list. Before you know it your cards will be on their way and your friends and family will be treated to a fun, personalized sentiment with your smiling face smack in the center of it all.

Now, there is one important fact that I would like to point out here. Touchnote is a free Android app, however after you send your first card, it is not free to send cards using the app. Each card costs $1.49 (in Euros, so it will be a bit higher depending on the exchange rate) plus any applicable postage. This was not shocking to me. I’m really not going to expect someone to be willing to print my card, use their supplies and then pay for postage all without charging me a dime. It’s just not going to happen and its unrealistic to think that it will.

Functionality

As much as I love the concept of Touchnote, functionality was a bit of a gray area for this Android app. First, Touchnote had a tendency to force close at random times. Sometimes it wouldn’t open and sometimes I would be right in the middle of editing a card when it would decide to shut down on me. Either way, not really what I like to see.

Now, I will balance that by saying that other times the Touchnote Android app worked great. It just seemed to depend and you couldn’t really predict which way things were going to go at any given time.

Next, after reading all of the user reviews I did notice one slightly disturbing fact. Some Android devices seem to have Touchnote preloaded as part of their core software. If you have one of these devices, then it doesn’t seem as if it is possible for you to uninstall Touchnote. This bothers me. I don’t feel that Android apps should be forced on anyone and if you want an app gone from your device, then you should have the option to remove it!

Finally Touchnote comes packed with an extremely heavy list of permissions. Some I can see the need for, but most seem like overkill especially for an Android app that some users can’t remove. I am especially concerned by the abilities to Automatically Start At Boot, Discover Known Accounts, Read and Write Contact Data, and Fine GPS Location. Basically I’m not too impressed with the functionality of Touchnote and the permissions bother me enough that it will not remain on my own Android device.

Fun Factor

It seems like a heavy load, but when you break it down Touchnote is fun! It’s a great concept and one that offers a quirky and unique twist to an old vacation/road trip standby.

I just want to see them do more with it.

What I mean is that I want more functionality and less permissions. I feel that these two changes would enhance the user experience and would draw more users to the Android app as a whole. But if you are willing to put up with the read tape, then go for it! Just do so with caution.

Touchnote

Android Apps Review Details: The Touchnote Android app is free. This app requires Android 2.1 and up. You may download Touchnote from the Android Market.

This Android app review, as well as the other Android app reviews for droid phones and droid tablets on this site, are brought to you by AndroidAppsReview.com.