Grid by Binary Thumb review

The Grid by Binary Thumb iPhone, iPod Touch, and iPad app adds a Pinterest finesse to iOS productivity tools and features. It successfully blends pencil, paper, hand-written calendars, and scrapbook activities like post-it notes, doodling, and taping a photograph into an album. Then, it infuses whimsy, elegance, and excitement for a creative, fresh approach to organizing. For those, like me, who sometimes feel stifled by the structure of iOS productivity apps, you literally can doodle on the edges as you explore, plan, and think about a new idea or activity.

The interactive introduction is punctuated with the perfectly-timed sound of an orchestra tuning its instruments. The simple white grid screen invites you to touch a square and drag your finger to combine them in virtually any configuration. Then, you select from one of four icons. The pencil icon composes a note. The camera icon adds a photo from your iPhone library, or you can shoot one with the in-app camera. The friends icon allows you to connect your contact list. With the location icon, you add maps of places you may want to visit. You are asked to register or continue to use without registration.

After you are introduced to the features, you move back and forth between a home screen with all of your grids and a screen with a selected grid. You simply tap the new grid icon to craft a new one. I made grids for each of my sons to help me plan for their back to school needs. Inevitably, they drop ideas, hints, preferences, and dislikes at times where I have nothing to scribble down the details other than my iPhone. As a person who thrives on visual organization tools, this is a perfect choice for me to grab my iPhone right after they have shared they prefer blue binders, red folders, and a black belt. I highlight a square, select the compose icon, type in my note, and then adjust the color by using the paintbrush icon. My note is simply binders in a blue box. You can change between bold and italicized text, as well as adjust justification and font size. When you add a contact, any attached photo fills the square and you can call or email from within the Grid by Binary iPhone app. When you choose a location to add, you enter it in the search bar and a map of the location fills the grid.

The Grid by Binary Thumb iPhone app could be an interesting way to get your kids to study, as they could create visual flash cards. One of the suggested grids was a cool way to learn Japanese. There was a photograph and Japanese word with English translation. It would also be a great way to log the items you need from the grocery. Shoot a photo from the in-app camera, and you can use it as a reminder that you prefer the 2% plain greek yogurt–not the 0%.

The Grid by Binary Thumb iPhone, iPod Touch, and iPad app fills this void for those of us who prefer a creative, visually stimulating, yet organized perspective in our daily life. It’s striking, intuitive, smart, and sophisticated.