Type in “notes” in the App Store’s search box and pages and pages of note-taking apps will come up. They vary in cost, features and interface. Some allow you to add sketches, audio recordings, images and pdf files. Others sync seamlessly with your desktop or web-based notes.

Into this crowded field comes Circus Ponies’ NoteBook, priced at $29.99. Is it worth the premium price? As a long-time fan of … Read More

The iPad certainly doesn’t lack for book reading apps.

There’s the big two of course — iBooks and Kindle. Not far behind is Canada’s own Kobo. And there are others competing for their share of the limelight, like Stanza, Free Books, MegaReader and 100,000 Free Books.

Not too bad for a device produced by a company whose CEO once infamously said “the fact is that people don’t read anymore.”

Despite all these options, … Read More

TuneIn Radio gives you access to thousands of stations for a low price.

Your iPad also makes a great radio, thanks to the multitasking and airplay functionality that iOS 4.2 brings. And if you have an Apple Airport Express wifi base station or Apple TV you’ll never lack for music again.

The Airport Express or Apple TV isn’t necessary, of course. There are other ways to pump music out of … Read More

I recently suffered a serious injury to my left hand that turned me (for the next few weeks) into a one-handed typist. As I make my living writing, this was a serious drawback. Typing with just four fingers just wasn’t working. It was slow, error-prone, tiring and painful. I had two choices — either tighten the belt and do without my freelance income for a time, or see what technology … Read More

Ever since I bought Apple’s external iPad keyboard dock, I’ve been engaging in unsafe iPad use, leaving my tablet unprotected against scratches, bumps and abrasions.

The problem was that the McAlly iPad case I invested in when I bought the iPad was not compatible with the dock. The opening on the bottom, while adequate for the USB dock connector, didn’t quite fit the connector on the keyboard dock. So the … Read More

While browsing in the App Store the other day, this particular item caught my eye:

The blurb for the app doesn’t exactly inspire confidence in its ability to teach English (or even Englsih). In fact, I wouldn’t be surprised if a child’s (or ESL student’s) English comprehension didn’t decrease after using this app. What on Earth does “pronunciation of the integration of memory enhancement” mean?

At least it’s free.
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Now that the distraction caused by Halloween is over, we can all get down to more serious things — such as getting ready for Christmas. As I write this, it’s only 51 days until the fat guy squeezes down our non-existent chimney to distribute lots of loot.

When I was growing up, one of the many things to look forward to as winter set in was the Simpson-Sears (later just … Read More

I recently reviewed the updated New York Times app, noting that it was a major improvement over that venerable newspaper’s initial app. Being a proud Canadian I figured I should give equal time to Canadian news apps. I’d like to, but there aren’t many. Sure, there are apps that aggregate news content, such as Canadian Newsstand ($1.99), Canadian Newspapers ($2.99) and News Ca Browser ($0.99). These generally work … Read More

When Steve Jobs unveiled the iPad to an expectant world on January 27, one of the applications he showed off was the New York Times. It wowed both those in the audience and reviewers, with some heralding it as the future of journalism because of its appealing, readable layout and the way it took advantage of the iPad form factor. When you opened the app you saw a collection of … Read More

Metro Vancouver has released a free iPad/iPhone app called iParks Explorer. As a Vancouverite, I wish I could like it, but it’s disappointing for three reasons.

First, it’s supposed to encourage visitors to visit regional parks, but is a tourist likely to know (or care) that Pacific Spirit is a regional park and is available on the app while Stanley Park is a City of Vancouver park and is not? … Read More