A few weeks ago, I reported on my first round of fave iPad apps. With this edition, I will share some recent app purchases that I love.
Criteria for my review:
- Frequency of use
- Ease of use
- Interface and design
- Usefulness
- Cost
Using a globe interface, you can spin through the day’s stories and touch the one you want to read. A pop-up window displays the story text and often a video allows the user to watch the story as it appeared on ABC News.
For next week’s election, the app now includes an interactive election map that allows you to make predictions on the mid-term elections and watch the accuracy live on Election Night as your map is filled with actual results.
More information and to download, go here. The app is FREE.
This cool app displays an inventory of all the latest political cartoons from MSNBC. As a news junkie, I do need an alternative to text as my need for reading glasses grows. The app definitely makes the news more fun.
For more information and to download, go here. The app is FREE.
There’s only one word to describe this app: gorgeous!
When I was a kid, we used to make models of the solar system out of tennis and styrofoam balls. Science education has come a long ways since 1974. Solar Walk allows the user to literally fly around the solar system, visit the planets and sun. For a quick trip, you can also visit any of our planets’ moons.
There is a 2D and 3D view mode and information panels with interior views, facts and other tidbits about each celestial body. If you want to see Pluto, however, it is not included in this version of the solar system.
Go here to download. The app is $2.99.
With the iPad being the perfect size for hosting an Etch-a-Sketch app, this one is a no-brainer. You can choose to use the simulated knobs or draw directly on the screen. You can also draw with someone else using the app on an iPad over the same WiFi network. Try doing that with the original toy!
Oh yes, you can even shake your iPad to erase it.
You can download here. The app is 99 cents.
While most expensive of this lot of apps, PressReader allows you to view the actual printed version of your favorite newspaper. The app brings over 1,700 full-content newspapers from 92 countries in 48 languages to your iPad & iPhone.
While the initial app is free, you will have to pay a subscription for a certain number of papers or buy each one individually. It is awesome, though, to read everything from the police logs to the classified ads for your favorite paper.
Download and get more information here.
UPDATE: Just downloaded the Solar Walk update from iTunes and it now includes Pluto. This was after complaints by the group “Equality Pluto.”
