App review-Aetas 2 minute meditation
Having followed Dr Philip Zimbardo since sometime, I was thrilled to know that Rosemary Sword had come up with a therapy based on the "Time perspective", how individuals relate to time and how that relates pure perspective on everything from past events, to future hopes and present behavior. Following on from their work, Rosemary Sword and her team went to create meditation apps.
I had been talking to Rosemary after the app was launched on iOS and I was lucky enough to buy the Aetas 2 minute meditation app as soon as it came out on the playstore on android phones. After having tried several meditation and hypnosis tracks and apps, I was excited to see what Aetas 2 was going to be like.
What is it?
The purpose of the app is to provide a small, handy, 2 minute meditation tool that one can use anywhere, anytime. 2 minute meditations are well known and understood, however very few apps, or tracks exist for individuals to use these meditations through out the day. Aetas2 certainly filled a gap in the market.
Cost
The app is not free. Although its costs less than 2USD, I am based in Pakistan where app purchases are not such a rage. Aetas was the first app I ever purchased. However 2USD, even for me here in Pakistan, was not expensive at all
Content:
The app provides 13, 2 minute meditations, each around a specific issue one is trying to deal with eg control, fear, creativity, sleep, stress etc. There is a basic induction followed by first person meditation script.
One may hear the 'voice' only or overlay it with a 'music' , with several options or with 'sound effects'. with several options. The volume of all the three tracks, voice, music and sound effects, can be controlled.
The Good:
The app is one of the simple apps I have ever seen on meditation/hypnosis and is very specific as to what it is to be used for. 2 minute meditations for 13 various issues, and that is it. The simplicity is much needed and makes one stick to it by avoiding too many choices. The sound quality of the voice is spectacular and there is nothing complicated about the script at all.
Knowing about the brains behind the project, one is confident as to the efficacy of the meditations and the self therapy. It is understood that the meditation scripts and audio is backed by academics who have been in the field since decades and know what they are doing.
The Bad:
The main issues revolve around interface and more specifically loading times. The interface at times seems not to respond but that is not a big problem.
The main issue is the 15-20 sec loading time for each script. This is way too much and annoying. once expects immediate playback, especially when one needs a session in a short amount of time and/or when one needs to go through several meditations in a busy environment.
Another big issue is the volume of the script. The volume of the narration is fine if one uses ear phone but is not at all acceptable when one uses the mobile phone speaker. This is made worse if one is to use a sound effect or music overlay as they become too distracting. Also, once the voice/script has been narrated, the sound effects and/or music that is playing in the background does not stop automatically. This often made me wondered whether the 2 mins are over or is there a break in the narration.
Suggestions:
The biggest suggestion is ofcourse, the loading times as well as the volume of the voice. These two things are the biggest improvements needed in the app.
To read more about Aestas: http://www.discoveraetas.com/
I had been talking to Rosemary after the app was launched on iOS and I was lucky enough to buy the Aetas 2 minute meditation app as soon as it came out on the playstore on android phones. After having tried several meditation and hypnosis tracks and apps, I was excited to see what Aetas 2 was going to be like.
What is it?
The purpose of the app is to provide a small, handy, 2 minute meditation tool that one can use anywhere, anytime. 2 minute meditations are well known and understood, however very few apps, or tracks exist for individuals to use these meditations through out the day. Aetas2 certainly filled a gap in the market.
Cost
The app is not free. Although its costs less than 2USD, I am based in Pakistan where app purchases are not such a rage. Aetas was the first app I ever purchased. However 2USD, even for me here in Pakistan, was not expensive at all
Content:
The app provides 13, 2 minute meditations, each around a specific issue one is trying to deal with eg control, fear, creativity, sleep, stress etc. There is a basic induction followed by first person meditation script.
One may hear the 'voice' only or overlay it with a 'music' , with several options or with 'sound effects'. with several options. The volume of all the three tracks, voice, music and sound effects, can be controlled.
The Good:
The app is one of the simple apps I have ever seen on meditation/hypnosis and is very specific as to what it is to be used for. 2 minute meditations for 13 various issues, and that is it. The simplicity is much needed and makes one stick to it by avoiding too many choices. The sound quality of the voice is spectacular and there is nothing complicated about the script at all.
Knowing about the brains behind the project, one is confident as to the efficacy of the meditations and the self therapy. It is understood that the meditation scripts and audio is backed by academics who have been in the field since decades and know what they are doing.
The Bad:
The main issues revolve around interface and more specifically loading times. The interface at times seems not to respond but that is not a big problem.
The main issue is the 15-20 sec loading time for each script. This is way too much and annoying. once expects immediate playback, especially when one needs a session in a short amount of time and/or when one needs to go through several meditations in a busy environment.
Another big issue is the volume of the script. The volume of the narration is fine if one uses ear phone but is not at all acceptable when one uses the mobile phone speaker. This is made worse if one is to use a sound effect or music overlay as they become too distracting. Also, once the voice/script has been narrated, the sound effects and/or music that is playing in the background does not stop automatically. This often made me wondered whether the 2 mins are over or is there a break in the narration.
Suggestions:
The biggest suggestion is ofcourse, the loading times as well as the volume of the voice. These two things are the biggest improvements needed in the app.
It could be interesting if more meditations are added although I do not believe that the material is 'too little' as there is really no need to over complicate the process. I would want the makers to decide for themselves. That would be a nice addition, although not necessary. Also the text of the present meditation scripts are made available in a future update as added content. reading scripts is definitely therapeutic as well.
There may also be an option of saving the 'volume settings' for the future.
The best thing is that I have already given my feedback directly to the makers and they have taken note of my suggestions. Nothing can be better than that!
Overall:
The app is specialized and fills a gap in the market. It is simple and its simplicity is beauty. Definitively a great app that one who is into meditation, or simply is getting into it, should certainly have. If you are busy, prone to anxiety, issues with fear, stress, whatever, just listen to it and let everything go. Its like exercise, do it regularly and you will surely become stronger even if you can't tell, others will
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