Developer: KANTETSU WORKS
Price: Free
Version: 1.0.1
App Reviewed on: iPhone 4S
Mooklet is a photo sharing app for the iPhone that sets itself apart from the pack by letting users create animated photo books. The customizable photo story books allow users to share a piece of their life with others through photos and text.
It’s easy as pie to get started. Users can jump right in and learn how to use the intuitive interface, or they may browse through the photo tutorial on the main screen. When users feel confident, the plus button located in the upper left corner gives them the option to create their very own photo story book. There are three ways to get started: Auto (Simple), Auto (Advanced) and Manual. The developers suggest sticking with the Auto (Advanced) method to create a quick and fully customized book.
Users then must import up to 24 photos from the Camera Roll or Photo Stream in order to begin editing the book. Once the photos are imported, all the pages may be navigated by swiping left or right. Users can then select a cover image, paper backgrounds, image layouts and captions to personalize their Mooklet.
When finished, it’s time to publish the book via a Mooklet account. The app gives users three Free publish slots to upload 24 page books, but the catch is that the Mooklet will show ads. There are IAP slot packs that range from $2.99 to $9.99 that remove these ads and provide users with 36 page books and three to five slots. Those who don’t want to purchase a slot pack aren’t left completely out in the cold because Mooklets can be recycled at any time. Users who wish to continue using the Free slots can transform their old photo books into new ones without having to purchase a slot pack, if they can deal with the ads.
Since the published book is stored on the servers and given a unique URL, users can view it instantly or add the link to their home screen to view on full screen on any iOS device. However, the pitfall to a published photo book is that those who don’t own a mobile device won’t be able to view it.
While Mooklet is an exceptional photo sharing app, there is some room for improvement. Adding more customization options like the ability to change the album cover color, an option to add background music or even additional background images would give users more creative freedom to make unique photo stories.
Overall, Mooklet is is a well-polished app with a slick interface. It’s simple enough for anyone to use, but it is also packed with many powerful editing features for those with a creative mind. Since it’s currently Free in the App Store, there’s no reason to pass up on the opportunity to share memories with friends and family members.