Review: Grocery List - Buy me a Pie, by Skript LLC (universal binary)

cjvitek

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Jul 5, 2008
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[URL="http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/grocery-list-buy-me-a-pie!/id491322606?mt=8&at=10l3Vy]Grocery List - Buy me a Pie[/URL], by Skript, LLC (universal binary)
$2.99, ****

Pros:

? Simple shopping list
? Sync lists with other devices

Cons:

? Limited database of food items
? No categorization of stores
? No explanation of color coding

In our house, I am in charge of the grocery shopping?my wife hates it. But, she has to be the one to put the grocery list together. So we are always looking for a good app that meets our grocery list criteria: 1) You have to be able to sync it between to iPhones, 2) You must be able to provide enough detail so she can make this list but I can understand what she wants, and 3) It has to be simple enough for her to use.

Grocery List ? Buy Me a Pie is a strong contender, meeting most of these criteria. The most important thing is that you can create an online and have multiple people edit the shopping lists. This means she can make the list, and I can then use it for shopping. I am not certain if she can update a list WHILE I am shopping, but that is probably a luxury that is not required. While it doesn?t use a third party location like dropbox to synchronize, it is nice to see that is has that feature.

Creating lists is pretty straight forward. There is a built in list of item, color coded based on where they are found in a store (grocery, cleaning, fruits/veggies, etc). You can simply tap on those to add the items, or you can type a new item that doesn?t exist. Once you have added an item, it then appears in the database (although you can always swipe to delete something if needed). When looking through the database you can sort by name or sort by category, which is a nice option.

Once you create your list, you can edit the entries (such as adding a quantity you want after a colon) by holding your finger down on the button. This means you can specify a brand, indicate if you have a coupon, or something like that. There is also the option to have multiple lists for multiple stores, if you are someone who goes to different stores for groceries depending on what is on sale. You also have the option of sending the list via SMS or email, I guess in case someone is shopping who doesn't have an iPhone or doesn't have the app installed.

Unfortunately, the app stops there. While it is very simple and easy to use, it is almost too simple. You can?t use previous history to create a new list. Beyond typing a number, you can specify any detail (do you want two pounds of shrimp, or two packages?). In addition, the built in database is relatively small, meaning I had to enter a lot of items on my own.

One of my biggest complaints, however, is the color coding system. While it is great to color code different categories, it would be nice to see somewhere what the color code is. When I am putting a new item in, it would be nice to see what labeling it as green or yellow or red would mean, rather than just have me guess a specific color.

This is a universal binary, so it can be downloaded to the iPad as well. I didn't check out the iPad version because I figured if you are grocery shopping, it is much more likely you will bring your iPhone with you, rather than an iPad. I also did not try to create an account, so I do not know about privacy or security concerns when creating an account and synching.


All in all, this app is a simple grocery list app, and if you want simple I strongly recommend it.
It synchronizes between devices and has a pretty straight forward method of entering food items. However, if you want something that has a few more features, I would recommend skipping this app as you may get frustrated. Despite that, however, it meets the goal of simplicity very well. At $2.99, the price is very reasonable, and so I give it an overall rating of four out of five stars.


* = No redeeming qualities or features, probably not worth it even if it is free
** = Few redeeming qualities, or is simply isn't worth the price
*** = Some good features but also some clear flaws.
**** = A solid app, worth the money if interested, a few flaws or problems or slightly overpriced
***** = Top of the line app, no problems or drawbacks.

Price is factored into the ratings. Ratings are lowered if I feel the price of the app outweighs the benefits/enjoyment/features it provides. Likewise, an app that is a good value for the money will have a higher rating. Please comment on these reviews. All opinions expressed in this review are precisely that ? opinions. You may agree or disagree. If you own the app, tell me what your opinion is. If the review prompted you to buy (or not buy) the app, let me know why. If you want more information about the app, go ahead and ask.

*To all who are awaiting reviews ? I apologize about the lack of reviews recently, but I hope to post a steady stream of app reviews of the next few weeks. If you have contact me regarding an app review, I will try to get back to you as soon as possible. Please note that contacting me (even sending a promo code) does not guarantee a review. If you have not heard from me within the next week or so, please send me another PM*