So now I’m testing the Grocery IQ application for iPhone that is designed with the US market in mind. This is the reason why, the developers haven’t released abroad for the time being as the database (130,000 items) of the groceries contains mostly American goods (you can search on both products names and brands).

A review with several screenshots is available at TUAW.

I must say that the application looks very nice and it is very intuitive in use. The products are listed under categories (aisles), and you can move these around to match the layout of your grocery store. Heck, you can even rename them to something else (like translate them to match the names of the aisles in your grocery store or something different). Many of the brand names doesn’t sound familiar but the app also recognises the standard items on your shopping list like “milk”, “butter” and so on. Can you add your own items not in the database? No, but items you buy often or want to customise (because the specific brand of coffee or whatever is not in the database) can be added as favourites and are thus acting as your personal database of items.

I really don’t see a big problem in making the app available for sale to non US clients, as long as it is clearly indicated that the “helper” database is US “minded”. Over time, I would have my own “database” created if I added the items, I would want, as my favourites.

Here you can see that I have added a fruit “Jordbær” (Strawberry) and changed the name of the aisle to “Frugt & Grønt” (was Fruits & Vegetables):

Again I’m looking forward to seeing some competition from other developers, but GroceryIQ’s UI and ease of use will be very hard to beat!

PS! The application is of course a must-have app for the wives with an iPhone and husbands that don’t know their way around the grocery store, as the shopping lists can be emailed and thus printed for guidance…

And check the list of features at http://groceryiq.com/features

[From App Store Pick of the Week: Grocery IQ]

Thanks to Grocery iQ ($4.99), you may never have to write another shopping list. Now you can tap to quickly build a comprehensive and highly legible list on iPhone or iPod touch, arrange your list by aisle to match the layout of your grocery store, check off items as you add them to your cart, build a purchase history and a list of favorites. Grocery IQ even lets you email your list to a designated shopper.

Excuse me, but it doesn’t look very good when I end up with this clicking on the link:

This is not an app that should depend on any authorisation or approval from any one in another country, so why isn’t it available in my App Store?

I hope that TapTapTap‘s app “Groceries” will be available in my App Store…

version 2.0 is out but still only available in very few countries
Looking forward to seeing the app in the Luxembourgish iTunes Store!

Harry McCracken:

Way back when, if software distribution for the Mac had been handled via a Mac App Store with a don’t-duplicate-Apple-products policy, Photoshop might have been refused distribution on the grounds that it was too similar to MacPaint.

Apple needs to revise its policy regarding the apps in the App Store. They can’t be sure to be the most suited company to develop all applications for the iPhone.

via Daring Fireball