PocketPacket vs Shining Glasses
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
PocketPacket
This app serves as a comprehensive client for the Automatic Position Reporting System (APRS), enabling amateur radio operators to send and receive real-time data like position, status, and messages. It features a built-in TNC for direct radio communication and internet connectivity via the APRS-IS network.
- Full-featured APRS client
- Built-in software TNC
- 1200 baud AFSK modulation
- APRS-IS internet connectivity
- Map visualization of data
- Object and message lists
- Real-time weather reports
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PocketPacket is a full-featured APRS client with a built-in TNC. The "Automatic Position Reporting System" is a packet communication protocol used by amateur radio operators (hams) around the world, to report position, status, station capabilities, weather or other information in real time. Packets can also be used for broadcasting announcements or one-to-one messaging. PocketPacket incorporates a software-based TNC, allowing you to directly capture and visualize, or encode and transmit 1200 baud packets (AFSK modulation) using a VHF radio transceiver. With PocketPacket you can also get and send packets over the Internet, by selecting one of the available Tier 2 servers of the global APRS-IS network. Incoming data is presented on a map, as most packets define some object, with a specific symbol and location. By selecting a symbol, you can view the latest information sent for the corresponding object, as well as the raw packets that produced it. All available objects are also shown in a list, which allows you to search for the ones you are looking for. Messages and bulletins are shown in a separate set of screens, structured like an e-mail client. With PocketPacket you can follow the status of the APRS network, submit your station's info, monitor moving objects, get real time weather reports directly from local stations and more. PocketPacket is ideal for field work or the ham shack. 73 de SV9OAN
Shining Glasses
Control your LED full-color display screen with this app. Customize text, expressions, colors, and effects. Create unique patterns, music rhythms, and graffiti for a personalized device experience.
- Control LED full-color display
- Change display text and expressions
- Variety of color schemes
- Display and pattern effects
- Music rhythm effects
- Custom graffiti and display effects
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Shining glasses is a cool app that controls the LED full-color display screen. It can change the display text and expression in the app, provide a variety of color schemes and display effects, pattern effects, music rhythm effects, and customize graffiti and display effects as you like. With cool and diverse play methods, your device is unique. Shining Glasses是一款控制LED全彩显示屏的酷炫App,实现在app中更改显示文字和表情,提供多种配色方案以及显示效果,图案效果,音乐律动效果,可以随心所欲自定义涂鸦及显示效果,酷炫多样的玩法,让您的设备独一无二。
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is price: Shining Glasses at Free against PocketPacket's $4.99. Shining Glasses also leads on update cadence (every 2 months vs every 4 months) and ratings volume (61 vs 13). PocketPacket's advantage is rating (3.6 vs 3.0) and chart position (#184 vs unranked). On review sentiment, ads, in-app purchases and monetization model there is nothing between them.
Scored on Price · Rating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings · Update frequency · Ads · In-app purchases · Monetization · Best chart rank · Devices · Requires iOS
Shining Glasses is free to download; PocketPacket costs $4.99 up front. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.
PocketPacket holds the better App Store score, 3.6 against 3.0. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 13 and 61 respectively. Written reviews point the same way: 51% of PocketPacket's written reviews are positive against 43% of Shining Glasses's.
PocketPacket ships an update every 4 months, Shining Glasses every 2 months. The most recent releases landed on September 18, 2026 and August 14, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | PocketPacket | Shining Glasses |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $4.99 | Free — better |
| Rating | 3.6 (13 ratings) — better | 3.0 (61 ratings) |
| Positive reviews | 50.5% of reviews — better | 43.4% of reviews |
| Number of ratings | 13 | 61 — better |
| Update frequency | Every 4 months | Every 2 months — better |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Monetization | Free | Free |
| Best chart rank | #184 — better | — |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod — better | iPhone, iPod |
| Requires iOS | 12.0 | 9.1 — better |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 19 MB | 141 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | +4 |
| Developer | Koomasi | Shenzhen Heaton Technology Co., Ltd. |
Customer experience
PocketPacket
Shining Glasses
In-app purchases
PocketPacket
No in-app purchases
Shining Glasses
No in-app purchases
Questions
Is PocketPacket free?
Is Shining Glasses free?
Which has better reviews, PocketPacket or Shining Glasses?
Do PocketPacket or Shining Glasses have ads?
Which is updated more often, PocketPacket or Shining Glasses?
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