Paralign is an Android app that aims to bring people of similar mind together, and allow them to share their thoughts and feeling in a safe and anonymous place. The app allows people to submit a thought, as well as a mood and intensity, and then find others with similar sentiments and moods. The idea is that users need not feel alone when sharing their feelings, but also not give too much away – or anything about themselves, really. Paralign also has a built in Companion, which can provide guided meditation, as well as some advice to help you relax or calm down. A slick, good-looking app that helps to tap into the ever-growing wellness trend out there, Paralign is well worth a look.
Just like other Android apps, users can download Paralign in the Play Store to get started, and all they need to do is go ahead and load the app up. There is the option to sign in, which might not go hand-in-hand with the whole private and anonymous part of the app, but it is explained why later on.
If you don’t want to sign in with one of your online accounts, you certainly don’t have to. Users can create an account using just their email, or they can use the app as a guest. Using the app like this, however, does mean that you won’t be able to save your thoughts and reflect on them later.
A quick, and slick, introduction to the app later, and many users will already feel familiar with the app, and it is nice to see a simple, and lighthearted appearance to the app right from the get go.
Then, it’s time for users to share their own thought, I wasn’t exactly clear on what I should be sending, or writing down, but I got the impression that there’s no judgment in whatever you share, so I went ahead and spoke my mind.
Paralign then asked me for my mood, which I thought was pretty standard, but then also asked me to quantify my mood. I was initially surprised by this, but more so that when I challenged myself to ask just how happy or how peaceful I was, it is genuinely an important question.
The app goes on to connect you with other anonymous users, which the app names after cute animals to cover up their identity, which is another cute turn. This is basically the whole point of the app; to connect people together, without oversharing. Being able to line up with someone who could be anywhere around the world with just how you’re feeling is a powerful thing. It all goes to show that we’re not all that different from one another.
Clusters are an interesting feature that I have yet to spend much time with, as they appear to group your thoughts together, and give you a way of seeing whether or not it was a good week, or perhaps whether you need to think a little more positively for the week ahead.
As well as clusters, there is the Companion, which is a feature that allows users to get guide meditation and such right from within the app.
With this, Paralign can guide users through meditation sessions and such, but in practice I found this to be a little basic. Then again, how much science is there in taking deep, controlled breaths and just emptying your head?
Paralign is an app that isn’t going to suit everyone’s tastes, as there will be some that find this sort of thing a little over-the-top, which is fine, as they can move along. Instead, Paralign is the sort of app that’s designed for those that want to explore their feelings, as well as connect with others. A connection can be as simple as agreeing with or contrasting with someone’s mood and sentiments, and for a lot of people, sharing their mood and feelings is more personal than their name or what they do for a living. As such, it’s nice to see the way that Paralign handles anonymity, which is with the fun animals and such inside of the UI. Sharing a mood and feeling with the rest of the community is nice and easy, and the app has great options to collate and collect your own thoughts and moods, which can help users reflect on a busy week, or a positive time in their life. Humans like to connect with each other, and through the anonymous options, as well as Clusters, Paralign makes that not only a calming experience, but also one that doesn’t ask the user to share too much, either.
Ratings
- Speed (4/5) – Paralign runs well, and users will be up and running in a matter of seconds when they first choose the app.
- Theme (4/5) – Everything in Paralign looks good, and has the right sort of soothing, pastel look that an app of its kind should do.
- Features (4/5) – It might take some time to get used to all of the different things that Paralign has to offer, but things like the Clusters and Companion help complement the core functionality quite nicely, and people who enjoy getting in touch with their feelings with find a lot of value in this app overall.
- Overall (4/5) – With a quality look and feel, this is the sort of app that really nails it when it comes to getting it right for their audience. All the features as well as theme match up wonderfully and fans of the wellness trend will find more than enough on offer here to keep them busy as well as content, too.
Pros
- Good look and feel, even down to the font and introduction to the app, it all looks great.
- Allows users to share their feeling and mood without having to share anything person about themselves, and everything is kept anonymous.
- Companion feature gives users even more ways to relax at the end of a long, hard day, or just another way to get in touch with their inner self.
- Mood and intensity help users evaluate themselves, something that a lot of people might not even have considered before using Paralign.
Cons
- Might be considered a little basic for some people, but this is undeniably part of the charm as well.
- Chat mode is good, but a friend list option could help to further connect people, but obviously go against the anonymity of it all.
Paralign is the sort of app that I can see appealing to a lot of younger users, as well as those that just need to take a breath and reconnect with themselves. It all looks good, runs well, and doesn’t ask much of the user at all. A good-looking, well-executed app that can help people relax, and share something intimate without sharing their identity, Paralign is an app that might surprise you.