This is the first post in a new category called “Apps We Love.”  We intend to post a series of shout-outs for apps we think deserve acclaim.  For our first installment, we are going to call upon the “Bebot” app.  This app languished in the annals of the music and entertainment category for a couple months, which is when we stumbled upon it.  Apple has now picked up support for Bebot and they are doing much better now, and we’re happy for the makers of Bebot.

Well ok, what is Bebot?  From the maker’s web site, its “part synthesizer, part animated robot.”  It actually struck my funny bone the moment I first touched the screen, as the ueber-cool, retro robot bends and sways, opening his mouth in different ways to produce tones ranging from low and bassy to high and thin.  There are two axes of control, and you can use up to 4 fingers to control 4-part robot polyphony.  A subtle light-show plays in the 50’s era, loungy backdrop.

Bebot has evolved quickly.  There are a set of options you can open by double-clicking a little icon, which originally allowed you to shift the timbre of the robot’s voice and add an echo effect.  This section now offers several other options to make the robot sound like various synthesizers, each with their own set of parameters.  They added auto-tune which tuned the robot to musical semi-tones, and now they actually let you set up the scale you want the robot to sing in - awesome!  They’ve also added an overdrive effect, so long story short, watch this little guy get better and better.

The Tiny Wonder assessment: 5 out of 5 stars.  Kudos to inventors Russell Black and Lily McDonnell!

Pixi now has a fanpage on Facebook.  Become a fan here.

We’ve set up a flickr group pool for anyone interested in sharing images of their Pixi designs. To view the images visit www.flickr.com/groups/pixi.  To share your own Pixi designs, just do a screen capture, upload to your own flickr account, and join the Pixi group to post your own images.  Or you can e-mail us your images and we’ll post them for you.

Please note that in an upcoming release of Pixi, you’ll be able to share actual Pixi animations with other Pixi users, using the social sharing mechanism that we’re developing. Enjoy!

We’re getting many requests asking how to use your favorite Pixi design as a wallpaper on your iPhone.  It’s simple. You can capture a screenshot on the iPhone by holding down the “home” button (the main iPhone button) and simultaneously clicking the sleep/wake button on the top of the phone. You can capture any iPhone screen in this same manner.  Then simply go to your photos and set the image you want as your wallpaper.