Current Music App

 

We've all, at one point or other, come across an ad in a game or in our favorite app showing us The Current Music app which boasts awesome rewards. First of all, they claim that one could make $600 within a year just by using their app. 

 I am still in the middle of testing it out to see if the claim holds true, however, from the time I have been using the app, I have been the happy recipient to several payouts.

So far, I have been surprisingly happy with the rewards I've been able to get through the app. It does take me a while to reach my goal, but I've managed to be able to redeem my points for $20 to PayPal roughly every week and half to two weeks. It does take CONSTANT use of the app, and in the early months that I began using, I did have the option to play games and have an easy to access screen which scrolled my games. That category worked like the timed games apps such as Mistplay and you could really gain some fast points that way. 

Unfortunately, my phone was having (non-app related) issues a few months back and would not get out of my lock screen; I was forced to totally factory reset my phone. 😭

So, as a result, my settings were reset to default and I lost my game list when I reinstalled Current app.

After a few weeks of trying to get the game function back, I gave up. Weeks passed and while I was leaving a review, I read through those left by other users and found that the game function was disabled.

 It's been going through some sort of maintenance off and on since I've seen it reappear at times...teasing me cruelly. To date, it is still unavailable and I do hope the devs get on the ball and bring it back since it is a function (I believe) would ensure user loyalty.

Within Current are many internet stations to choose from and you can save them in your favorites list; you can also "record" your songs such as was done in the 80's, but, instead of a tape deck, you just press the "record" tab in the app as soon as you hear your song start playing. That way, you can play your favorites through the app later.

 When you first set up your profile, you will be able to choose at least 3 categories of music to start off the automated mix of suggested stations to listen to. So, if you are into Enya, you may come across a station dedicated to Enya style music as well as a bunch of Enya songs. 

My preferred genre is Christian rock, Specifically, I was searching for a station that played both Newsboys and Skillet.  A list of suggested stations was generated and I tried out several which were tailored to play more of the specific groups I was searching for along with other groups matching them.

 The timer started as soon as I played my first song. It lasts an hour (I found out one day when I happened to glance at my music and it said my earnings had stopped.)

One good thing is that you will receive a notification warning you that you are no longer earning points and a that you need to restart the music if you want to continue earning. You get the notification a few minutes before the app stops keeping track of your listening time.

It is a fair app and definitely not a waste of space in my phone. Obviously, I love the music part as well as the user friendly interface. 

Payout to PayPal takes roughly 3 days or so, but, thankfully, not a ridiculously long time.

I absolutely love the fact that you can really gain points simply by having your phone plugged in a charger...it counts for both wall charging and use of battery pack. Additionally, your music will run even if you leave the app and get into other apps...nice to be able to play music while playing Warhammer Chaos online. 😂

It does glitch at times and stop playing music, but at times, a "play" button will pop up and you can start it again while in whatever app you were in (it happens in Warhammer and some other games).

As with all apps, surveys are a "hit or miss" depending on your demographic....although, personally, I feel some surveys are rigged, because I get denied every time in some other apps. I actually have had way better luck doing the surveys through Current Music. Yes, I still get denied for surveys in the app, but, it is less frequent. Another great feature is that if you do get denied, sometimes Current will still give you partial points for at least taking the time to take the survey.

I mentioned before that you stop earning points on music time after an hour has passed. The developers recently put out an awesome update which now gives users a chance to gain back those lost check-in points by taking a survey. 

Again, surveys are a hit or miss, so, if my lost points are lower than 100, I usually give up those points and simply choose to restart my music by watching an ad. But, if it is more than 100, I'll do the survey...sometimes I will get disqualified, but eventually, I wind up picking the right one and have my points recovered. So, if it is worth it, don't give up the points. Just keep trying and eventually you will get that 1 survey that will count for recovering points. Once you back out of surveys, you don't get another chance to recover the points. 

There are many great features of the app, it just takes a bit of planning such as, setting a timer for the music part, making sure your screen is counting points while being charged. (Side note: you cannot use the phone if you are trying to gain points for charging, but, music can still be accessed on lock screen)

It is best to simply use the charging function while sleeping, or when you are not using your phone. I make it a habit to carry a couple of battery packs with me at times...especially when shopping. I cant use my phone at that time anyway, so, I keep it charging simply for points while out and about. The points still count even if your phone shows 100%, which is pretty awesome. 

Another downside worth mentioning: you have to have the app "appear on top" in the setting. It is frustrating to me when I try to listen to my music player while doing a workout, then as soon as I have to unlock my screen, Current Music interrupts my player and starts playing the internet music station. I'm still trying to figure out how to get around that function besides having to turn it off and force stop. Once I find a simple solution, I will add it to this review. 

Another serious downside is that my phone runs hot while using this app along with other apps...especially gaming apps. Plus, the charging lock screen will eventually burn images on your phone screen after months of CONSTANT usage, so, it is highly suggested to use a "burner" or old phone instead of your main phone. But, considering the fact that a majority of people usually go for the newer releases of phones roughly every 2 years anyway, the burned images might not bother some users. 

My phone is now over 2 years old from when I got it, so, it is time for an upgrade for me anyway. 😂

NEW DOWNLOAD AVAILABLE

 

    I am happy to announce that there is a new PDF download available when you subscribe to my newsletter. It features a collection of my personal drawings I completed using the Amaziograph app which you can find in Microsoft Store, Play Store for Android, and Apple Store.

The app charges a one time download fee of $.99, which for me, was totally worth it. That is my personal opinion and I am NOT getting paid to promote them in any way. There are other great apps that will do the same, But, I've always found this one to be my personal favorite. The app does offer a REFUND should you change your mind about keeping it. I'm not sure how long the refund option is good for, since I've never chosen that option. 

   There are different functions within the app; like all apps, you just have to explore it on your own and decide for yourself if it is worth the small fee. 

   PROS:

• Import designs straight from your gallery to use in app.
• Includes 20 symmetries  to choose from which are customizable
• Includes Brush, eraser, and paint bucket tools
• Automatically smooths lines when you draw
• Customize canvas size to fit your needs
•  Export, Save, Share your work to use in any project

CONS:

• Upon opening new project, background needs to be filled in with white color first, or your image will have missing spots when you upload to certain apps
• No FREE version to try out first
• No palm rejection tool in app

   To be honest, I have not had any major issues with the app. There are negative reviews you can check out through store download to see what complaints other users have had. I personally have not experienced any of those issues. For $.99, it is a fair price and like "they" say, you get what you paid for; however, again, for me, it was worth it.

    Click HERE for ANDROID.

    Click HERE for APPLE.

    Click HERE for WINDOWS 10.

    Subscribe for your free copy of "Flowers and Insects" at the bottom of page.

    Thank you for visiting.  😸

    

Terrible Way To Express An Opinion

    Normally, I am very careful about the way I respond to my boys’ inquiries on how their work is and am careful to explain when it comes to my opinions on their creativity. Today was so not a shining moment for me. 

    My young teenage son gave me a paper that he had printed up with a short paragraph that he wanted me to read. After reading the first two sentences, I refused to read any more of it since it was full of nothing but jibberish. It was not worth my time to finish reading it and I explained that to him a few times when he kept insisting on me reading it.

    Finally, I did give in and read it this morning. As expected, it was a total waste of time. I called him in to take his paper away since I didn’t even want it in my sight. He came in and waited for my opinion of the work he had done. I had not given him an opinion at first and just told him to take his paper back. He had not left and I asked what he wanted.

                                        “Well? What did you think?”

    At that point, without even hesitating I told him “I thought it was stupid and a total waste of time.” I don’t really know what came over me when I gave my brutally hurtful opinion except that I felt angry for him insisting that I read it in the first place. 

    Immediately, I could see I had seriously hurt him, like I had stabbed him in the heart. In a sense, I guess I had with my words. I’ve always insisted on not using certain words in our house because of how hateful they sound. Crap…I really screwed up now.

    Once words are uttered, there is no going back. We can try to patch things up; however, once said, those hurtful words cannot be forgotten or taken back no matter how simple the comment might have been. Certain words should not be said; but, they are.

    Trying to come back from my initial statement was not easy and did not happen. The only thing I could do was to explain why I had said what I did and admit to my wrongdoing for the way I stated my opinion. My comment was way too brutal and I should never have said it like that. 

    My son has written amazing stories in the past which are very entertaining and original. It’s been suggested to him to submit his work to certain companies that are interested in his type of work. So, to read something he came up with that was way below his standards just rubbed me the wrong way.

    We must be careful with the words we use around our children if we want them to thrive. There is a song by the Christian music artist, Toby Mac titled Speak Life. It is a wonderful song that talks about inspiring people through the words we say.

    There is so much power in the little member of our bodies known as the tongue that it is unreal. Our tongue utters things that are hidden in our hearts. Our tongue can be used to build kingdoms and nations. Our tongue can be used to inflict damage beyond our control. Our tongue can definitely tear people down to shreds. Even such a simple sentence containing fewer than ten words can inflict serious harm on those who are on the receiving end.

    What’s done is done. I did go back and take the time to explain that I was wrong in the way I expressed my answer and should not have stated it the way I did. I went on to point out the areas of outstanding talent he possesses in his other work and explained that if he was going to do something less than his usual standard, it should be only as an outlet for his personal benefit and not to be publicized for an honest opinion. 

    I further explained that I could see the jibberish work he had written as a tool for him to vent and come up with fresh new ideas. I asked him what he expected his paragraph to express. He said he thought it was funny and that it would make me laugh. 

    For his age group, it might be, but I explained that there will be people out there in this world that will be as brutally honest about his work without a care in the world as to his feelings.

    In a way, maybe it was better that I was the one to give him a taste of what an honest opinion to his work could look like no matter how brutal the delivery. Is there coming back from this?

                                                            YES.

    The love we have for our children is proof that all is not lost when you have an “Oh, crap…” moment like I did. Our love is also in our hearts and is expressed through not only our words, but our every day actions. 

    We take the time to explain things and situations as honestly as we can due to the love we have in our hearts. We use life situations as teachable moments at every opportunity even when we mess up as parents because of the love within our hearts. 

    And because of the love within our hearts, we admit to our children that we are not going to be the perfect parents like those seen in the Donna Reed Show or Father Knows Best, but, we will not stop trying to be the best parents we can be. 

    We have the power to tear down; however, just as the Toby Mac song indicates, we also have the power to “speak LIFE through the words we say”.