Welcome to our weekly installment of Picks of the Week at iSource where we provide our expanded coverage of Apple accessories and applications Here we will promote our favorite iPhone, iPad, iPod, Mac and Apple TV related items, as well as bring you occasional tips and tricks. Hopefully many of our favorite items will also be of interest to you. Please feel free to comment on our selections, and suggest picks of your own. Check out this week’s picks after the break
Byook – S. Holmes (v1.2.0.12)
Picked by: Jay
I am selecting an app that, in my opinion, could potentially change the way we read ebooks. The app is called Byook and according to its website is about going “Beyond Words” in having the reader interact with the written word. Byook takes a book, in this case a Sherlock Holmes novel “The Adventure of the Speckled Band,” and enhances the reading experience by showing related pictures and animation on the ebook page, while sounds – a gunshot, thunder, a scream – reflect the context of what you’re reading. It may seem unusual to read an ebook while wearing the required earbuds or headphones, but it’s completely worth it. Thanks to my friend and her husband for sharing this little gem.
Some educational futurists have hinted that technology may eventually play a role in phasing out reading the written word. Brick and mortar bookstores, like the former Borders, have had to clarify their identity in retailing books. In going beyond the book, Byook has added a new immersive dimension in reading, and there may be no going back.
($1.99) iTunes Link
Keynote Remote (v1.3)
Picked by: brad0885
My pick of the week is an app that I use almost every day in my work as a teacher. The Keynote Remote app allows you to control your Keynote presentations by using your iPhone as a remote. Setup is very easy. All you need to do is go into the app settings and choose the option, “New Keynote Link”. This will give you a passcode that you type into the “Remote” menu found within the “Preferences” menu in Keynote on your computer. This instantly allows your computer to recognize your iPhone as a remote for controlling your presentations. The app works by connecting to your computer using your wireless network.
My favorite feature of the app is the ability to see the current slide and next slide on your iPhone during my presentation. This helps me to be able to give a presentation without having to look at the screen and helps me transition to new parts of my speeches by reminding me in a glance what information is coming up on the next slide. Simply swiping on the screen moves your presentation on to the next slide. This is a must have app for anyone who regularly makes presentations using Keynote.
($0.99) iTunes Link
Rocketr (v2.0.1)
Picked by: Thomas
Rocketr (Free) is one of those iPhone apps that caught my attention simply by virtue of having an attractive icon. From what I’ve gleaned from my quick glance, Rocketr is a super social notes app. You create notebooks, add searchable notes, and have other Rocketrs comment and like them. The notes are in plain text, but the interface around them is anything but. They grey and yellow colour scheme really pops, and it is always made terribly clear which parts of the screen you can actually tap.
I’m not sure where Rocketr is really headed in terms of the kind of user base it will attract, but the developers certainly did themselves a favour by launching this rocket with some major pizazz. It’s certainly worth a quick look, if only to marvel at the gorgeous UI.
(Free) iTunes Link
HP Touchpad
Picked by: jhrogersii
Rumors of the HP TouchPad’s demise may have been somewhat exaggerated. At least in the near term. HP’s fire sale last weekend turned into just that- an inferno that burned down HP’s servers and several online retailers last weekend and early this week. The device still lives on at $99 for the 16 GB version and $149 for the 32 GB model until stocks are depleted. Some Best Buy locations are still receiving shipments of a handful of devices, but getting one there will require some effort and luck. HP will be making some number available sometime in the next few days, but rest assured they will go fast. If you are interested, sign up here to be notified when it becomes available and be ready to act fast when you get a response.
As I said in my synopsis of the device earlier this week, even if webOS comes to early end, the device is still an amazing value at these prices. If nothing else, you can run Linux now, and more than likely, Android on it before too long. There is also a decent homebrew community, with lots of tweaks and optimizations to offer.
The bottom line is, if you are an Apple fan, but enjoy playing with other devices and OSs, you won’t find a cheaper option than this. Also, if you know someone who would like a tablet, but who’s needs are focused more on web and email, then again, you can’t beat a $99 TouchPad. Happy Hunting!
16GB Version- $99
32GB Version- $149
Zander – Virtual Pet Alien (v1.1)
Picked by: PatrickJ
There are lots of virtual pet apps on the App Store, but this is the most clever one I’ve seen – and it helped cheer up my daughter while she was home sick from school for a few days this week, so that earns it big bonus points in my book.
Kids can interact with Zander in a number of ways – he’s got 70+ actions and tricks that he’ll perform when kids tap and make choices on what they’d like to see him do. He’ll dance around, play the drums while the user plays a flute-like instrument, or print out a picture if you tell him to. The screencap above is one that the kind folks at Hot Salsa Interactive (Zander’s creators) had him make for their promo approach to us. Nice work Zander.
He’s even got his own language. So when you speak to him, he’s got a fancy-looking translation device that lets him know what you want – and he’ll let you know the word or phrase in his language.
Definitely a little more fun than your average virtual pet.
($1.99) iTunes Link
There you have it! Hope you enjoyed this week’s installment of Picks of the week. Please let us know what you think, and share with us some of your favorites.
Continue reading:
- Everything New Apple Just Announced (Septembe
- Apple Watch Pre-Order
- Apple Research Kit launches with 5 Apps
- Apple TV now only $69
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