By Graham K. Rogers

The devices we use are a part of us, and perhaps our handheld devices are more personal than the computers we use. The apps installed are a part of a person's makeup. Some like games, some need productivity. In the main, I like photo apps.

I am currently running a series of articles in my Bangkok Post column that focus on apps used for editing photographs taken, especially with iOS devices. My own preference is for the iPhone, but I know several people who use iPads; and with my use of iCloud, all of the images on one device can be used on any of the others, as well as my Macs.

One of the apps that I looked at in "Artistic Output from Photographs on iOS Devices" (20 January), which like all my eXtensions columns for the Bangkok Post is available on my site, was Waterlogue. This produces output in the style of watercolor paintings and has been one of my favourites since it appeared.

While looking at the app in the iTunes store, I also found that the developers, Tinrocket, have two other apps shown: Percolator, which did not appeal to me; and Popsicolor, that most certainly did. All of the apps are $2.99.

Popsicolor

The app allows images to be imported from the Photo Library, from the camera, or by Pasting from another app. Above the import icons are 12 image types, including Duotone, White Ink and Ripple. With 16 color selections, the number of image and color combinations possible is in the hundreds. The color selector also has a number of tools that allow further subtle changes, including swap and shuffle tools (e.g. top color to the bottom) and tools to add or reduce ink.

It is more complex than that as, along with the coloring tools, there are border and vignette filters available. This selection also includes Enhance, Invert, Border and Shuffle tools. A further targeting filter selector, allows further enhancement and mixing of the colors used. The Shuffle tool is also available here.

When the user has decided on a finished image from the array of possible mixes, pressing a Heart icon at the bottom right, reveals a panel with options for export. Facebook and Twitter are there, but this selection depends on the social networking apps a user has installed. A section at the bottom is for saving the image to Photos, or exporting (copy, open in and email) and for Settings

The image format types are adjusted in Settings, with JPG and PNG files possible. Sizes are Small, Medium, Large and Original. This may be up to 3584 pixels, although a warning tells us that smaller images will not be upsized.

The images possible with Popsicle offer an interesting option compared to most filter-based or editing apps. What can be produced is varied and reminds me of basic printing I did at Junior school with paper cutout appliers and a mix of inks. The output is one more way in which photographs can be edited and adapted. Output would find a use in many ways, such as posters or advertising, or perhaps as an image in the Snaptee, tee-shirt app.

This app is highly recommended.

Graham K. Rogers teaches at the Faculty of Engineering, Mahidol University in Thailand. He wrote in the Bangkok Post, Database supplement on IT subjects. For the last seven years of Database he wrote a column on Apple and Macs. He is now continuing that in the Bangkok Post supplement, Life.