Very
good
Summary
What happens when you stuff all the knowledge known to man into a big box and let a super-computer deal with it? A “computational knowledge engine“ by the name of WolframAlpha happens! It promises to answer every question you might have whenever you need it, thanks to WolframAlpha Mobile for Android. Does this thing actually work? Does it really know everything? Read on!
Features & Use
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WolframAlpha isn’t the same kind of search engine as Google or Bing in the sense that results aren’t shown in the form of links; what happens instead is that results are produced in accordance to the entry. This means that if you ask a question such as “How old was Barack Obama when the Berlin Wall fell?” will lead to an actual answer revealing Obama’s exact age, the very day. In order to do so WolframAlpha draws from its own data bank which, along with natural language recognition is WolframAlpha’s defining feature. You can’t use Wolfram Alpha to find a as you would Google, e.g. to find a cheap flight or hotel due to its – to some extent limited – data base, which is mainly based on numbers. On the other hand, WolframAlpha is exceptionally good at dealing with facts and dates. For instance, Wolfram Alpha receives weather and stock updates in real time, and you can access them via keywords (“weather Pittsburg 04/10/98", “Apple stock”). It would take much to long to list all the research possibilities so let me just say that the data diversity is pretty impressive.
Another function is the calculation and processing of mathematical terms. Wolfram Alpha boasts a broad spectrum of mathematical know-how: from the basic calculation of numbers to cracking systems of equations.
So just how well does it all function?
On the whole Wolfram Alpha provides a good service. The results are mostly very accurate and detailed and provide thorough information. However, seeing as the computer has to interpret both the entry and the natural language the results aren’t always successful; in some cases keywords aren’t recognized and the results are thus absolutely not what one was searching for. The fact that Wolfram Alpha understands only English is a shame but not that big of a deal. What is annoying, on the other hand, are a few mishaps in the apparently incomplete data bank. A few facts that you would expect to be in the data bank are not to be found: searches for “when did the war in Iraq begin” or “winner French Open 2007” did not come up with the correct answers, which leads to believe that this data has not yet been introduced into the data bank. Another small drawback is the spell check which isn’t always accurate.
On a more positive note, Wolfram Alpha’s mathematical branch works brilliantly. The design, differentiation, and integration of functions as well as the solving of equations (with restrictions) work superbly and very precisely. Wolfram Alpha can be used by those who enjoy and/or struggle with maths.
The “basic functions” such as displaying and saving the history of search terms are also worth mentioning.
Screen & Controls
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WolframAlpha’s design is simple and you will find all functions in the menu. The integral keyboard (which can be adapted) allows for entries that include mathematical symbols. It’s also possible to use Google Language Tools. Unfortunately, the keyboard does not provide haptic feedback. A widget would also be nice, seeing as this would allow you to access Wolfram Alpha from the homescreen.
Bottom line:
Wolfram Alpha is a very useful app that will allow you to access a lot of information / an informative data bank. The functions related to mathematics are especially impressive and useful (provided you find maths to be useful). Coping with small glitches isn’t a big deal. Should you choose to make use of this app please keep in mind that as opposed to the Wolfram’s website this app doesn’t provide a big spectrum of functions.
Speed & Stability
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There’s nothing to nag about in regards to WolframAlpha’s stability; it ran very smoothly throughout the testing phase. Seeing as this isn’t a standard search engine is takes a little bit longer for the search results to appear on the display.
Price/Performance Ratio
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WolframAlpha costs US$ 1,99, which is acceptable for an app which is mainly representative of a website.
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Market Comments
Tj, May 28, 2012
Wolfram alpha Very useful. Just wish it could understand harder concepts. However it works extremely well.
Quinn, May 28, 2012
Loving it Layout is complex as indicated. but how else are you supposed to give the user such flexibility? I find it easier than the website for some things, I especially like the integrand symbol right there on a key. Great offering, competitive price.
Jon, May 24, 2012
Dont buy Made easy inquiries like neighborhood demographics... Doesn't come close to google
Sonny, May 24, 2012
All you'll ever need!! I didn't know something like this existed. Simply GR8!! I would like the screens to look more professional as they do on the I pad. A lot of display space is wasted by the left justification.
Capolicci, May 23, 2012
Wolfram service is awesome The only thing that could be corrected for me to giving all 5 stars is the result magnification option that for some reason every x time it forgets my setup and turns by its own back to 100% which is too small for me.
Anthony, May 23, 2012
Keyboard The keyboard in landscape mode is not to proportion. It is way too small. Please fix, HTC Vivid.
Tahir, May 22, 2012
Samsung galaxy nexus Wolfram is astounding and there is no doubt in that. But the devs need to realize the importance of marketing and packaging. The app is bearable but needs a UI lift desperately. It's too cluttered at the moment. Also there needs to be a button which can hide the extended keyboard. Not everyone is utilizing it all the time. Graphic improvements are needed. The resolution is bad right now. Good job otherwise.
Zane, May 21, 2012
Terrible interface Of all the apps I have paid for, this is the only one that I regret entirely. I am using this with a Asus Transformer Prime and feel that the interface (the app's custom keyboard especially) is clunky and slow. Even working through the Browser - choosing to request the desktop site - I can receive results faster and easier than the app. That should not be true, as an app is supposed to be a 'window' to a website that is easier to use than the full website. Please make the custom keyboard layout better; for Tablets especially!
James, May 20, 2012
Excellent The best feature is the special keyboard allowing for better functionality and faster queries than on my laptop/desktop.
Carlos Eduardo, May 19, 2012
Muito bom Com esse app vc consegue tirar diversas duvidas sobre calculo. Vale cada centavo.
@ Jeffrey: yes! Well put!