Android Thoughts: Stop Using Honey for Counting with TallyBee and StopWatch

TallyBee is a simple, free application created by Bethany Soule that allows you to keep count of whatever you would like. The application is easy to use and extremely helpful for the forgetful or anyone who would like to keep a running tally of items. StopWatch is a second simple, free application produced by sportstracklive.com that efficiently counts time up or down. The simple operation and clean programming allow for many everyday uses. So put down those abacuses and kitchen timers and read on!

TallyBee works by simply tapping on your device's screen to advance the tally. If you want to decrease or reset, just use the menu key and choose the appropriate option. Yes, it really is that simple! This makes the application handy for all sorts of tasks such as row counting in knitting and crochet projects (my personal favorite), keeping track of exactly how many blue punch buggies you see on that 10 hour car ride, how many shots you had at last night's bachelor/bachelorette party, and plenty other of things you may (or may not) want to know the count of. You can also quickly determine if you are increasing or decreasing your count by looking at your number: The number will be blue if increasing, red if decreasing. Plus, if while in your drunken stupor, hopefully not while on that 10 hour car ride, you accidentally close the application, it will remember your tally when you re-open. But given its simple nature, there is ample room for expansion. For example, being able to keep track of multiple counters would be nice Also, since it always starts with zero after resetting the count, a tally that starts at, say, 36, requires you to tap the screen 36 times before you can continue with your counting.

StopWatch functions similar to a regular stop watch by starting or stopping the timer with just a tap of your finger. It records your time in hours, minutes, seconds and tenths of a second, which is usually the most detail you need unless you are running illegal experiments from your home's basement (No, I don't want to know about them, sorry!). And as well as counting time up, it will also act as a countdown timer including the option to vibrate or sound an alarm at the end - no more burnt cookies. To reset your timer it's just another tap on the screen and, poof, your time is set to zero. Also, while the timer is active, an icon with the current minutes and approximation of the seconds is displayed in your status bar even when the program is closed (if you so wish, otherwise an option to not show the icon exists). This is especially great for timing longer projects but not tying up your phone while doing so. Other great little features this app offers, include the ability to record times for multiple laps, keep your screen awake and choice of display colors. And we all know that matching your display to your track suit while running laps is guaranteed to bring all the hotties to you. One feature that I would like to see though, would be the ability to save your time and recall it later because once you reset the counter, the time is gone. This would be especially helpful if you were training for a sporting event or you just wanted to improve your personal best record for racing from the couch to the fridge during commercial breaks.

But by now, you are probably thinking, "why do I need these two apps when one is just a counter and the other is just a stop watch?". To make your life easier is the simple answer. Both may not have many bells and whistles, but they are efficient in the task they are programmed to accomplish while maintaining an easy to use format. So easy, in fact, that when you call to order 12 pepperoni, 8 cheese and 3 anchovies pizzas and the delivery man shows up 3 minutes, 28.7 seconds late with your 30-minutes-or-less pizzas, you can tell him to take a hike and enjoy your free pizza! And who doesn't love free pizza?

Karey Westfall is new to the Android universe, having bought her first phone in early 2010. She currently lives in an apartment with her husband and cat. Besides family and friends, she spends most of her time with her books, computer, yarn and various crafting supplies.

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