Certainly one of our fashionable challenges is protecting monitor of the issues we really need to spend our time on with the huge quantity of digital content material that’s out there. Couch is a pointy iOS app that appears to resolve that drawback with a easy, but customizable hub to arrange films, TV, music, books, podcasts, apps, video games, and extra to take a look at sooner or later. Together with a brand new Couch replace touchdown right this moment, we went hands-on with the free iOS app for a better look.
We’ve all most likely tried protecting a fundamental observe or reminder listing on iPhone with issues we need to watch, take heed to, learn, or check out sooner or later. Couch, created by Shawn Hickman, is constructed round the concept that that strategy rapidly turns into messy and inefficient, and a devoted app purpose-built for organizing content material presents a significantly better expertise.
In a brand new replace launched right this moment, Couch 2.13 gained the choice so as to add apps, audiobooks, and board video games. Different useful additions are computerized backups to iCloud Drive, new export/import choices, 11 new themes, and the choice to repeat deeplinks.
Palms-on with Couch for iPhone and iPad
Couch makes use of a very clear and easy UI that’s constructed round a single residence web page. The highest options “The Pile,” which is a spot to rapidly save issues or preserve them entrance of thoughts/arrange later. Under that, you’ve acquired a tile for “Exercise” and, subsequent to it, “Themes.”
Under the highest part, it’s proper into “My Lists.” The default listing consists of: Apps, Audiobooks, Board Video games, Books, Motion pictures, Music Albums, Podcasts, TV Exhibits, and Video Video games. You’ll be able to faucet the + icon within the center proper to rapidly add a brand new listing or begin organizing your lists into teams.
As proven above on the precise, it’s additionally straightforward to edit an current listing by tapping the … icon within the high proper nook. You’ll be able to change from grid to listing view, change the sorting, edit the title, or delete the listing.
One UI alternative that makes the app tremendous handy to make use of is the floating + button that continues to be within the backside proper nook whether or not you’re on the primary display or in a listing.
Couch has constructed nice integration with providers like Apple Music and the App Retailer (in addition to others for books, films, and so on.) to tug in photographs, particulars, and extra. One factor to bear in mind, you’ll have to faucet “search” earlier than you see outcomes present up (no auto-suggestion in search).
It’s straightforward so as to add content material and decide which listing you’d wish to put it on. There are even fast hyperlinks to open content material like apps and music within the App Retailer or to Pay attention in Apple Music.
With regards to managing content material as you verify issues out, you possibly can faucet the … icon subsequent to any merchandise in your lists to “Mark as Carried out,” “Log and Hold,” “Transfer to…,” “Copy Deeplink,” or “Delete.”
Themes, widgets, and extra
Couch is a fantastically designed free app, and it doesn’t use any adverts. Shawn presents a number of themes to assist growth. There’s a neat mechanism to preview any of the 70+ themes for 30 seconds throughout the entire app earlier than it switches again.
You get a traditional gentle, darkish, and black theme with the free model with additional themes going between $0.99 and $1.99. You’ll be able to browse the vary of themes by creators, eras, locations, colours, and seasons.
Different considerate touches embrace a number of Couch app icons to select from, iOS 14 widgets that may be personalized to point out a particular listing (in small, medium, massive), and computerized Couch backups turned on (syncs to iCloud Drive).
Couch wrap-up
I’ve discovered Couch to be a delight to make use of. It’s acquired a clear, considerate, and intuitive UI, enjoyable customization choices, and no adverts. It’s an excellent expertise to arrange your private stock of media and extra you’d like to take a look at, in addition to keeping track of what you’ve learn, watched, listened to, and so on.
There’s no draw back to making an attempt out Couch because you’re getting the complete function set with the free model, and you’ll assist growth by choosing up among the customized themes for only a buck or two.
I extremely advocate downloading Couch for iPhone/iPad and giving it a spin.
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