Know Who’s Calling Without Looking with ViBe

Written Android App Review

The new ViBe Android app lets you know who’s calling without even seeing the screen. This simple yet effective app could change the way you identify callers.

Concept & Features

It’s simple really. Use ViBe to assign a custom vibration pattern to your contacts. The result? Even when you’re busy, you can know who’s calling. It’s just like assigning a ringtone to a contact, only much more circumspect.

So next time you’re in a meeting or sitting in the front row of a classroom and your pocket starts to vibrate, if you use ViBe you’ll know who’s calling, and, if the call is important enough to take.

That’s all there is to it. Open the app, peruse your contacts, tap a name to choose a custom vibration, and you’re done.

User Interface

A simple app deserves a simple UI, and the ViBe Android app delivers. The app’s main screen is amusingly assigned it’s own vibration pattern. A single touch anywhere on the screen launches your contact list.

Touch any contact to choose a custom vibration. Choose from the default buzz, knock knock, ramp down, bee, heartbeat and crash. A quick touch will demonstrate the vibration, a long hold assigns it to the contact. Use your Android’s back button to do the same to other contacts.

Functionality

Many Android devices, mine included, have volume settings and a vibrate setting. But, unless you go into the settings menu, there isn’t an easy way to turn the phone on silent. That’s something I’ve become accustomed to the past two years.

The ViBe Android app actually turns off the general vibration setting. Technically your phone is set to silent, and then the app creates rules where each contact vibrates with their specific pattern. On my phone this was frustrating. Unless I went into each and every contact and assigned a vibration, I didn’t know when people without custom vibes were calling. It was that or turn the volume up, which defeats the purpose of this app.

Also, I stopped receiving vibration notifications for text messages and emails. This is something you can change under settings. It’s just a bit annoying that you have to.

Value

Of course, the folks at Base2Apps who created this delightful application are not saints. The app comes with several free vibrations. Five to be exact. There are some additional vibration that can be purchased in the app, such as engine, explosion and bounce. These extras may be purchased for $.99 each, or you can get them all in a bundle for $4.

I still think ViBe is an exceptional app, with a perfect price tag and a lot of potential.

Android Apps Review Details: ViBe Android app is free. This app requires Android 2.1 and up. You may download ViBe 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.