I like Chomp quite a bit as an iPhone apps discovery and recommendations app, but the more I use it the more I’m finding that its recommendations are utterly useless.
The parts of the app I like are the live reviews from users – seeing them and contributing my own. When I go to the Recommendations page though, it’s pure disappointment. The app claims that it makes recommendations based on my reviews. Well … I’ve made over 100 reviews and not one of them was for a ‘sexy bikini girls’ type app, or anything even close, yet I still receive numerous recommendations for just that sort of app.
The app’s recommendations really seem just all over the map and just about completely random – and each individual suggestion gives you no clue what it is supposed to be based on (as Apple’s Genius and other discovery apps do).
Again, I like the overall concept of Chomp and enjoy using it to add live reviews, but I really wish they’d make some major improvements to the recommendations side of it.
You can see more info on Chomp at its App Store page HERE, and it’s a free app.
Are any of you Chomp users? If so, what is your experience with its recommendations?
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{ 7 comments… read them below or add one }
But you are male, right? Don't all men want sexy bikini girls?
Hah. I kid.. I kid.. I can completely understand your frustration. I have both Chomp and Apptizr installed, but I still haven't taken the time to actually use them. Apptizr seemed like too much work to teach it the apps I already have and which ones I like. It would be very useful if it could just automatically build a list of apps I already have installed, but I suppose Apple wouldn't allow that. The very small amount of time I spent in Chomp wasn't bad. I very much liked the 'live' reviews and I need to spend more time using it to see it in all its glory. If there are ways to 'filter' the reviews, that would be pretty powerful.
Hmmm. Well I just typed up a response to this but the second I hit submit it said this comment has been deleted by the administrator.
Ouch, sorry. There is a (pretty short) list of blacklisted words that cause immediate deletion of comments, without any intervention by me / any moderator. They include words like cas*no, black*ack, s*x, the names of several ED type products, and others. Seems unlikely you'd have had one of those in a comment, but thought I'd mention.
It was probably s*x. I made a joke about it suggesting the 's*xy bikini babes' just cause you're a guy.
Anyway, my comment in shorter form:
I have both Chomp and Apptizr installed but haven't taken the time to really make use of either one. I think it would be very useful if one of these type of apps could automatically take inventory of apps you have installed and maybe even see how long you keep them installed. Would make 'teaching' these services much easier.
I had a lot more to say, but it'll have to wait for another day.
I've used both a fair bit, along with several others. I agree – it is a nuisance taking time to make up for that lack of initial import of existing installed base of apps. The fact that this is so often not done makes me wonder how much is the app developers' choice and how much is due to Apple making it difficult / impossible to gather that info.
Hmmm I quite like Chomp, it's introduced me to a few apps that I'd never heard of (like 'McSweeny's' which is absolutely amazing!) but generally I just don't find it's recommendations adventurous enough. The cross button is a tad annoying too, I click it, but usually the app reappears a few refreshes later.
Yeah, I like the social aspect of it, but I prefer the recommendations from Apptizr more.
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