Nicholas Carpentier 's review of DrinkControl
Date last edited: 11-22-2024 at 11:46PM
Rating: Mature 17+
Review:
URL: Press-kit : DrinkControl: Drinking Diary App for iPhone
Title: DrinkControl
Developers: E-protect
Genre: Health and Wellness
My Rating: 5 Stars
Primary Audience: Young Adult (anyone who wants to discipline themselves in the realm of alcohol consumption)
Version: 5.9.2.
Platform: iOS
Cost: Free (with a premium that costs 3.99 per month or 11.99 per year)
Year of Release: 2020
DrinkControl is an app that is designed to help users keep track of the alcoholic content of the drinks they are consuming, whether one just wants to be conscious of what they are consuming, or someone wants to start regulating their consumption because they feel like their alcoholic intake is getting out of hand, DrinkControl is one of many drink tracking apps that seeks to better the lives of those who wish to encounter alcohol in a more positive and disciplined light. Personally, I have had positive experiences with alcohol and have not found the need to track my every drink, but I really do admire that there are apps out there that are made to help people in this way and I think this is worth looking into and evaluating.
The Seven Media Keys
The First Media Key: Balance
“When it comes to our initial evaluation of the media, we very much need to keep an open mind” (Gan, pg. 23). This open mind that we are to have towards the media is to help us be sure that what it is that we are going to engage with or consume is actually good for us and for our well-being. “They must look, then, to the nature of what is communicated, given the special character of each of these media” (Inter Mirifica, 4). When it comes down to its nature, DrinkControl does in fact look after what one consumes and covers all fronts when it comes to the balance of alcohol consumption. The user can track and monitor the drinks that they are having, they learn more about alcohol consumption and what is good for you, it helps you to drink less and save money, and ultimately, pushes you to improve yourself through the regulation of alcohol intake. “DrinkControl takes bottles, glasses, and shots and converts them into units of alcohol (also known as "standard drinks") so people can make more informed decisions about their intake” (DrinkControl, under “Press”, para. 1). The whole app is about balance!
The Second Media Key: Attitude Awareness
Our senses are very powerful and can lead us to very intense and positive experiences, but they can also lead one to very dark and shattering experiences as well. “The power of the media lies in its appeal to our senses” (Gan, pg. 40). The attitude of DrinkControl is that of the betterment of its users. “DrinkControl is a drinking diary, helping people keep track of what they drink and when they drink it” (DrinkControl, under “Press”, para. 2).The app is considered to be a drink diary, keeping track of what one consumes and the money it costs the user. This app is not trying to shove any sort of agenda on the user, but to follow the user at their own pace, as they want to use and keep track by filling in their own “diary”.
The Third Media Key: The Dignity of the Human Person
This key is integral to our use of any form of the media, for anything that is within the media should be at the service of the inherent dignity that all human persons have. Each person has “a capacity to give . . . and love and choose good or evil” (Gan, pg. 53). DrinkControl is an app that seeks to help others utilize that capacity for good. Not that alcohol tracking is the end all be all, but that it does help with the betterment of ourselves and taking care of our bodies. But when it comes down to it, “the question keeps coming back with regard to what is most essential–whether in the context of this progress man, as man, is becoming truly better, that is to say more mature spiritually, more aware of the dignity of his humanity” (Redemptor Hominis, 15). If this app is entered into with the right disposition and the drive, these things can totally become more recognized within the person. Whether it be taking care of one's body, seeking to live in a right order, or seeking to see the goodness within oneself and enter into a deeper care mentally and/or emotionally, all of these things are bound up into the dignity of every human person and ought to be cared for.
The Fourth Media Key: Truth-Filled
The truth is a grounding principle in the lives of all humans. Those that try to live contrary to what is true or to not even seek this truth, want to make the rules up for themselves as they go. If this is done, one's life will shortly find disorder and imbalance, infinitely chasing something deeper that they cannot reach for this reality is the truth but yet they reject it. “Good intentions and a clear conscience do not thereby make a communication sound and reliable. A communication must state the truth” (Communio et Progressio, 17). DrinkControl may not take a deep dive into what the truth is on a whole, but it most definitely recognizes the reality and the truth of what large amounts of alcohol can do to a person and it seeks to spread that truth and help people live more in accordance with that knowledge. It is grounded in a particular aspect of the truth but this truth does help others to be grounded and even be set up to seek the truth better.
The Fifth Media Key: Inspiring
“Media should inspire because that’s what media is intended to do” (Gan, pg. 94). This inspiration should lead us to live a better life and to become more fully human. DrinkControl is inspiring by its very existence. The app makes it clear that it is for tracking, health, and saving money. It is not a form of rehabilitation from alcoholism or anything professional like that, which should be sought elsewhere. That does not diminish the value that it does have and the inspiration that I’m sure that it instills in its users. The app itself goes into the reality of what accountability can do for the person. “Tracking means people can keep themselves accountable — a vital motivation in making changes like drinking less” (DrinkControl, under “Press”, para.2). Accountability can lead a person to be inspired to live better as they see the goodness that pours forth from this accountability and tracking.
The Sixth Media Key: Skillfully Developed
The media, even apps, need to be skillfully made. “The media we make should conform to the standards by which the culture judges and uses media” (Gan, pg. 103). The media needs to keep with the standards of the time for people won’t be willing to receive what is being presented to them if it doesn’t look good enough and creates a good experience. Those who are communicators, “have a duty in conscience to make themselves competent in the art of social communication in order to be effective in their work” (Communio et Progressio, 15). DrinkControl has a rating of 4.7 out of 5, which is a great testament to how well-made it is. It has obviously positively impacted people and this does have to do with how it is set up and how it is made. It has a very sophisticated interface and employs different charts, a calendar, and overviews to keep you on track. It is very colorful and is easy to learn and use.
The Seventh Media Key: Motivated and Relevant to Experience
Any form of the media needs to be relevant to the human experience and speak life into it, for if it doesn’t, what is the media bringing? There needs to be some point that brings us back to the relevance in our own lives. Jesus “gave His message not only in words but in the whole manner of His life. He spoke from within, that is to say, from out of the press of His people. He preached the Divine message without fear or compromise. He adjusted to His people’s way of talking and to their patterns of thought. And He spoke out of the predicament of their time” (Communio et Progressio, 11). This is essential for those who want to create life-changing art to understand. If the God of the universe came down and used the language, experience, and patterns of our times to communicate, so should we. DrinkControl could have a great impact on a person’s life but it is only relevant to the lives of those that choose to use it and find benefit from it. It is only relevant insofar as it benefits the user this app is reaching out to. When it comes down to it, saving money, being responsible, and keeping yourself in check are all things that are relevant to our experience and should be embraced in a healthy way. If someone does not have an issue with these particular things and stays away from the app, they would not be affected in their experience, but that does not take away from how relevant this app is to its audience and the impact it could have on their lives.
Conclusion
In conclusion, DrinkControl has proven itself to be a very well balanced app on all fronts and is evidently still impacting lives in a positive way even to this day. This is a good example of what a good app would be. It points the user to a deeper truth about themself and to a greater understanding of how to understand themself and take care of themself. The app states clearly who the intended audience of this app is, “DrinkControl is for anyone who wants to be better informed about the drinks they consume and the amount of alcohol they contain. The reasons are varied, whether it's to help cut down on alcohol intake on the advise of a doctor, or to simply try and reduce that beer belly. Whatever the reason for tracking alcohol, DrinkControl can help.” (DrinkControl, under “Press”, para.5). I believe that those in their early twenties would really appreciate this app for the balance it could help provide to this new world of alcohol consumption in their lives. I also think it could be a great tool for those who might struggle with alcohol to any degree and want to become more disciplined in that area. It provides the user with a versatile tool for engaging with alcohol in a positive way. I give this app a rating of five out of five stars and am very pleased that there are apps like this out there that attempt to aid people in the ways they wish to grow.
Seven Keys:
Balanced:
Attitude:
Personal:
Truth-filled:
Inspired:
Skillfully Made:
Experienced:
Overall Rating: 7/35
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