1Kevin Brunton Contact details

2.7Free versus paid apps

2.7.1Free

Pros

1. 
   Chance to try out the app
   
2. 
   Many free apps have a wide range of features
   

Cons

3. 
   Limited storage space on some services e.g. Evernote.
   
4. 
   Online connection required.
   
5. 
   Adverts can be very distracting.
   
6. 
   Adverts take up usable screen space on an already small screen.
   
7. 
   Adverts use up battery power significantly faster (Purdue University 2012 - funded by Microsoft).
   
8. 
   Many apps are developed by very small teams or individuals. If they stop working on the app then it may not continue to work when the operating system is upgraded (same thing could be argued about very cheap apps).
   

2.7.2Paid

Pros

1. 
   Large or unlimited storage options.
   
2. 
   More likely to have long-term developer support.
   
3. 
   More likely to work offline.
   
4. 
   No distracting or battery draining adverts.
   

Cons

5. 
   Potentially expensive upfront cost for something that may not benefit the student.
   
6. 
   Potential compatibility issues - more likely for Android but possible for Apple devices running older iOS. Student may not want to install upgrades if they have jailbroken their device.
   

3Note-taking

7. 
   Depending on how you hold the device you could accidentally cover the microphone.
   
8. 
   The iPad can be quite cumbersome to hold if you want to include a camera shot in your note (especially if you need to hold it over the heads of others).
   
9. 
   The recording quality was not of the highest quality when using any of the apps (iPad's own microphone) which could be a good case for using Noteshelf and a separate digital voice recorder.
   
10. 
    How important is instant synchronisation e.g. Evernote seemed to struggle throughout the two days with the strength of the wi-fi signal.
    
11. 
    Can you handwrite using your finger and what type of stylus can you comfortably use?
    

• 
  What note forwarding and storage options are available e.g. Evernote, DropBox, email, iTunes. When forwarding notes, can you select different options e.g. whole notebook or just specific pages?
  
• 
  Accessibility - what format does the app forward notes in e.g. PDF, plain text, image etc?
  
• 
  Are there any limits to audio recording times?
  
• 
  Does the app provide a range of paper backgrounds e.g. plain, lined, grid, different colours, diary, meeting?
  
• 
  How are notes presented visually e.g. Noteshelf is more visual in that notebooks can have distinctive covers and are presented on an iBooks style bookshelf.
  
• 
  Can notebook pages be tagged for easy search and retrieval?
  
• 
  Can pages be rearranged within notebooks?
  
• 
  Can pictures be taken and added on the spot?
  
• 
  Are coloured pens and highlighters included?
  
• 
  Are handwritten notes an option and if so then does the app include a wrist guard option in case you want to rest your wrist on the screen?
  

• 
  Notability crashed the first time that I tried to start an audio recording. It also crashed the first time that I tried to listen back to the sessions. Another long-term user in the audience had not experienced these issues.
  

I recorded my session using a range of devices and microphones. I will be posting up short clips of each of these on YouTube so that you can compare the quality. You'll be able to find these at:

http://www.youtube.com/user/atcompared/videos?feature=context&sort=dd&page=1&view=0

The devices used were:

• 
  Olympus DM450 with an Olympus ME32 microphone
  
• 
  Olympus DM5 with an Andrea SG100 ME32 microphone
  
• 
  Livescribe Echo 4GB (first half using pen only and second half with headphone microphone added)
  

3.1Audio

3.1.1Livescribe Echo

Devices - Windows, Mac

Approximate Cost = £80 and upwards depending on capacity

Potential uses - audio notes, handwritten notes (including sketches), typed notes via MyScript conversion software, audio instructions using audio dots

3.1.2Evernote

Devices - Windows, Mac, Web, iOS, Android, Blackberry, Windows Mobile

Approximate Cost = Free or Premium subscription with increased storage £3 per month

Potential uses - audio notes, typed notes, picture notes, save file attachments. Android now includes a speech-to-text function.

3.1.3Notability

Devices - iOS

Approximate Cost = £3.99

Potential uses - synchronised audio and typed notes which can be annotated using coloured pens and highlighters. Notes and audio can be synced a similar way to Audio Notetaker. Various lined, plain and grid style paper formats are available. The app keeps recording even if you switch to another app.

3.1.4Audionote

Devices = iOS and Android

Cost = free and £2.99 versions (audio recordings are limited to ten minutes and an hour in total in the free version)

Potential uses - synchronised audio, typed and sketched notes which can be annotated using coloured pens and highlighters. Notes and audio can be synced a similar way to Audio Notetaker and appear in time stamped timeline. The app keeps recording even if you switch to another app.

3.2Handwritten

3.2.1Noteshelf

Devices - iOS

Approximate Cost = £3.99

Potential uses - keep notes in multiple notebooks where pages can be tagged and rearranged. Options include handwritten notes (including sketches), typed notes via conversion software, annotate picture and PDFs using visual tools as well as handwriting / typing. Coloured pens and highlighters available.

3.2.2neu.Annotate+

Devices - iOS

Approximate Cost = £3.50 (currently £0.69)

Potential uses - Annotation app that enables the user to mark up PDF documents using coloured pens, pictures and symbols. Save options include sending marked up PDFs (or just individual pages) to email, iTunes and Dropbox.

3.3Typed

3.3.1Evernote

Devices - Windows, Mac, Web, iOS, Android, Blackberry, Windows Mobile

Approximate Cost = Free or Premium subscription with increased storage £3 per month

Potential uses - audio notes, typed notes, picture notes, save file attachments. Android now includes a speech-to-text function.

3.3.2Noteshelf

Devices = iOS

Approximate Cost = £3.99

Potential uses - keep notes in multiple notebooks where pages can be tagged and rearranged. Options include handwritten notes (including sketches), typed notes via conversion software, annotate picture and PDFs using visual tools as well as handwriting / typing. Coloured pens and highlighters available. When forwarding notes to yourself or others you can choose to send the whole document or a specific combination of pages.

3.4Visual

3.4.1Images / Photos

Evernote

Devices - Windows, Mac, Web, iOS, Android, Blackberry, Windows Mobile

Approximate Cost = Free or Premium subscription with increased storage £3 per month

Potential uses - audio notes, typed notes, picture notes, save file attachments. Android now includes a speech-to-text function.

Noteshelf

Devices - iOS

Approximate Cost = £3.99

Potential uses - keep notes in multiple notebooks where pages can be tagged and rearranged. Options include handwritten notes (including sketches), typed notes via conversion software, annotate picture and PDFs using visual tools as well as handwriting / typing. Coloured pens and highlighters available.

Evernote Skitch

Devices - Android, iOS (iPad only), Mac

Approximate Cost = Free

A simple app that lets you add visual and written feedback to new and imported pictures.

3.4.2Video - Coach's Eye

See document(s): www.coachseye.com

Devices - iOS5 only

Approximate Cost = £3

An app that allows you to add audio and visual feedback to new and imported videos. Particularly useful for sports and performing arts although it could be used with providing feedback on any visual practical process e.g. silversmithing techniques. For some good examples of the app in use see:

http://www.youtube.com/user/CoachsEye?ob=0&feature=results_main

The swimming and karate kick examples are fairly good.

3.4.3Mindmapping

Mindjet

See document(s): mindmanager

Devices - iOS, Android

Approximate Cost = Free

Based on Mind Manager, this visual note-taking and planning app also makes a good presentation tool. Users can setup a free Mindjet Connect account and save maps in the cloud and download them to their other devices. Maps created on the computer and then opened on the mobile device may appear slightly different e.g. branch pictures removed (the QR code on the title branch doesn't appear in the iPad version used at the conference), branches with plain formatting appear as boxes with white backgrounds. Choosing pale yellow to make them look the same as the background on the iPad then makes them look slightly different back on the computer (this map is a good example - most final level branches are a slightly different colour to the background).

Inspiration

See document(s): ipad

Devices - iPad only

Approximate Cost = £4.99 (currently on offer - usually £9.99)

Based on the Windows / Mac version, this visual note-taking and planning app also makes a good presentation tool. One of the few mindmapping apps that allows ideas to remain unlinked from the main map. Note - iPad created maps are not ye compatible with the computer software but this option should be available later this year.

3.4.4Drawing

Paper from 53

See document(s): paper

Devices - iPad only

Approximate Cost = Basic sketchbooks are free but a decent range of pens and water colour brushes costs £4.99.

Sketchbook based note-taking app aimed at those who prefer to draw.

4Reading / research

4.1Search

4.1.1Dragon Search

See document(s): search.html

Devices - iOS

Approximate Cost = Free

Voice activated search that can be used in conjunction with a range of sites including Google and Wikipedia.

4.2Text-to-speech (Audio)

4.2.1TextHelp Apps

See document(s): web-apps

Devices - Web (includes iOS), Windows, Mac

Cost = £50 for degree duration

A family of text-to-speech related apps available to DSA funded students as an add-on for TextHelp Read and Write Gold. Provides a mix of speech, dictionary and note-taking tools although options vary according to the device. Internet connection required.

4.2.2SpeakIt!

See document(s): Future_Apps.html

Device = iOS

Cost = £1.49 + £0.69 per additional voice (high quality UK male/female and US male/female options included, additional options include major European languages and Arabic)

Potential uses = copy and paste text any document / app / web page that allows this. Convert text to audio (seems to work offline). Can record an audio as a sound file but seems to be a word limit (1000 words?).

4.2.3ClaroSpeak

See document(s): id520487394

Device = iOS

Cost = £3.99

Potential uses = copy and paste text from any document / app / web page that allows this. Convert text to audio (seems to work offline) and listen using Daniel or Serena. Text copied in to ClaroSpeak can be saved as a text or audio file and then forwarded by email.

4.2.4iOS Accessibility

Device = iOS

Cost = Free

Potential uses = highlight text in apps that allow this and select Speak to hear the text read aloud. Male voice only.

4.3Dictionary / Thesaurus

4.3.1WordWeb Audio Dictionary and Thesaurus

See document(s): WordWebiPhone.html

Devices - iOS

Cost = £3

This paid for UK version of WordWeb's International English dictionary lacks the voice search function provided by Merriam Webster but includes tens of thousands of audio files using UK English pronunciation - these are recorded by actors as opposed to computer generated.

4.3.2Merriam Webster

See document(s): id399452287

Devices - iOS, Android

Cost = free and premium

This free version of the International English dictionary enables the user to search for words using both voice recognition and predictive text typing. Definitions include highlighted links to related words as well as further links to synonyms and antonyms.

Touching any word in the definition and then releasing it automatically links to that word's definition. A back button makes it quick and easy to return to the original word.

Many words include computer generated pronunciation audio files with multiple files provided for common US/UK English differences e.g. tomato, potato.

Students can also create a favourites list for words that they struggle with.

Internet connection required for voice search.

4.3.3Merck Health Home Handbook

See document(s): a.html

Devices = Web

Cost = free

An A-Z list of medical terminology which includes audio pronunciations for each of the terms. Seems to require Flash.

4.4Formatting / Accessibility

4.4.1iOS5 Reader

See document(s): how-to-ios-5-safari-reader-and-reading-list

A relatively new feature on iOS devices, Reader appears next to the webpage URL so that you can choose to view a clean version of an article i.e. Adverts and navigation bars are both removed (doesn't seem to appear on some homepages e.g. BBC and Thisismoney.co.uk but then appears once you view actual news articles. For a non-iOS version see Evernote Clearly.

4.4.2Evernote Clearly

See document(s): clearly

Devices - Web, iOS, Android, Blackberry, Windows Mobile

Approximate Cost = Free

Similar to iOS5 Reader/Reading List but works in a web browser on any platform. Articles can then be saved to your Evernote account.

4.4.3MyDocStore

See document(s): www.mydocstore.org.uk

Devices - iOS?

Approximate Cost = In development

A concept project which is now in full development, MyDocStore will enable users to store documents in a Dropbox style account and then access them in their preferred format on any device.

5Writing

5.1Planning and structure

5.1.1Mindmapping - Mindjet

See document(s): mindmanager

Devices - iOS, Android

Approximate Cost = Free

Based on Mind Manager, this visual note-taking and planning app also makes a good presentation tool. Users can setup a free Mindjet Connect account and save maps in the cloud and download them to their other devices. Maps created on the computer and then opened on the mobile device may appear slightly different e.g. branch pictures removed (the QR code on the title branch doesn't appear in the iPad version used at the conference), branches with plain formatting appear as boxes with white backgrounds. Choosing pale yellow to make them look the same as the background on the iPad then makes them look slightly different back on the computer (this map is a good example - most final level branches are a slightly different colour to the background).

5.2Speech-to-text (Dictation)

5.2.1Dragon Dictation

See document(s): dragon-dictation

Devices - iOS

Approximate Cost = Free

Voice recognition software which enables the user to quickly dictate text for emails, blogs, social media or any other application that can have text pasted in.

5.2.2Dragon for email

See document(s): dragonforemail.html

Devices - Blackberry

Approximate Cost = Free but Windows or Mac transcription software likely to cost £60-150

5.3Journal / reflective writing

5.3.1Oh Life

See document(s): ohlife.com

Devices = web based

Cost = free

A free, very simple blogging tool where entries are kept privately rather than being posted publicly on the web. The website emails you on a daily basis to prompt you to record an entry. You simply reply to the email so there's no need to log in to the site unless you want to view your journal record. Journal entries can be exported to a text file for use in other programs.

5.3.2I Done This

See document(s): idonethis.com

Devices = web based

Cost = free

A free, private blogging tool with more functionality than OhLife. Entries can be added on the website or by replying to the daily email reminder. There are personal and group options and entries can be merged with several calendars including Google and iCal.

5.4Creative writing

5.4.1Screenplay

See document(s): id322410822

Devices = iOS

Cost = £3

Screenplay writing app which includes features designed to make it compatible with Final Draft (Mac and Windows).

5.4.2Manuscript

See document(s): id339910826

Devices = iOS

Cost = £3

Creative writing app that allows the user to outline, research, edit and export anything from a short story to an entire book.

6Time management and organisation

6.1Task reminders

6.1.1Errands

See document(s): id318095638

Devices = iOS

Cost = free and premium versions

A free and simple to use app for making to do lists. It allows you to make multiple lists in order to separate out work and home based tasks. Reminder alerts can be added to each task.

6.1.2Google Calendar - text alerts

See document(s): calendar

Devices = most operating systems

Cost = free

Users can set up multiple colour coded calendars and then view any combination of these. Multiple reminders can be set for each entry. Options include screen pop-ups, emails and SMS.

6.2File management

6.2.1Dropbox

See document(s): www.dropbox.com

Devices = Mac, Win, most mobile systems

Cost = free and premium options

Dropbox allows you to back up your work online using a free web based service. Creating a Dropbox folder on your computer enables you to then access files saved in it via the web, e.g. from a computer in the university library or via mobile device such as an iPod or an Android phone. You can also synchronise files between multiple computers. The standard free account includes 2GB of storage so it may not be suitable for large numbers of multimedia files.

7Revision / memory

7.1Evernote Peek

See document(s): peek

Devices - iOS (iPad only)

Approximate Cost = Free

Evernote Peek incorporates a real or virtual Smartcover so that the user can create flash cards and revision aids. The first step is to set up a new Notebook on an Evernote account. Each new note title becomes a question and the connected note is the answer.

The student views the question by turning up the first flap of the Smartcover. Turning over the second flap reveals the answer and allows the student to mark their response. Turning over the final flap gives a view of the overall score and an opportunity to retake the test.

7.2Mental Case

See document(s): www.mentalcaseapp.com

Devices = iOS and Mac

Cost = £3.00

An extensive flashcard based revision app that allows the user to download cards from both flashcardexchange.com and quizlet.com. Decks of cards are then created based around subject areas.

7.3Rehearsal

See document(s): www.rehearsaltheapp.com

Devices - iOS

Approximate Cost = £14

Aimed at actors learning lines this app allows the user to import a script and then annotate it using audio, video, text and pictures. Scripts can also be recorded with the users own lines being faded out so that they can use others lines as prompts.

7.4Grays Anatomy

See document(s): id468312752

Devices = iPad only

Cost = £2

An iPad version of the world famous medical reference book. The app includes hundreds of labelled 2D diagrams and a growing number of 3D models. One criticism of this version is that it can be a little hard to navigate although it does include some nice options such as basic note taking. Reed Elsevier publish a more user friendly version but at a cost of around £50 compared to £3 for this option. See http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/grays-anatomy-for-students/id429405125?mt=8 for the Reed option.

7.5ProPrompter

See document(s): apps.bodelin.com

Devices = iOS

Cost = £6.99

Potential uses - presentation aid based on professional teleprompters

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