App of the Week: Capture the best of both formats with GLMPS

GLMPS can settle a lot of digital recording arguments because it can take photos and videos at the same time.

Though it may seem the modern age keeps overwhelming us with a tangled web of options, it's really a constant barrage of simple, binary decisions that confront us every single day: the red shirt or the blue shirt; Team Jacob or Team Edward; cake or pie (except on my birthday, when the answer is both).

The same holds true when we're trying to decide how best to digitally capture some unique moment for posterity: photo or video?

It's a tough call. While it may be more compelling to watch little Bobby learn to ride his new bicycle in high-def 1080p video at 30 frames per second, not everyone with a vested interest in little Bobby has a Facebook or YouTube account - or even an e-mail address - through which to see it (although I'm sure little Bobby would gladly set them up with all three if he ever gets off his new bike).

Such a fork in the road can even cause friction - well, at least expose friction - in a family.

"Take a picture, not a video!" the first spouse says.

"Video is way better," the second spouse says.

"How's my mum going to see a video? She doesn't have a computer!" the first spouse declares.

"Yes she does. We bought her one. She just refuses to use it," the husband, I mean second spouse, says.

It gets uglier from there. With any luck, little Bobby is blissfully circling the block, unaware that only a few dozen metres away his family is coming apart at the seams.

The app

Fortunately there's GLMPS (free; iPhone, iPad) a smartphone app that can split the difference between the warring format factions in your household, because it can take photos and videos at the same time.

The details

Using GLMPS is easy enough, though installing it can be tricky. In order to use it, you must first register through your Facebook or Twitter accounts.

But then, GLMPS seems to work just like your camera app - it even displays an opening shutter when it comes on. But unlike the camera app, it begins recording video and audio the moment you turn it on. Once you take a picture, it stores not only the photo, but also the seven or so seconds of video it captured while you were setting up the still photograph - thus, you get a short, "making of" video of every picture you take.

It has some annoying limitations. While you can mark your creations as "private", your GLMPS creations can't be stored locally, so if you want to send them via e-mail you must first post them to a social network (it works with dozens).

Still, it's worth a try - if only for little Bobby's sake.

Have some great personal finance apps that you want to share? Write to Curt Brandao at [e-mail]