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Five apps (and more) to help you write your NaNoWriMo novel
November is National Novel Writing Month, also known as NaNoWriMo. It's a month-long initiative that challenges you to get that unwritten novel out of your head and onto paper. We have a handful of tips to help you get started, and below is an updated list of our some popular writing tools for iOS and OS X. If you have your own favorites, please share them in the comments. You can also browse through this exhaustive list of iOS text editors provided by Brett Terpstra. Byword 2 for iOS and OS X editing (US$4.99 for iOS app, $9.99 for OS X app) Byword is a cross-platform Markdown editor for writers looking to sync their writing seamlessly across their iPhone, iPad and Mac. The iOS version supports search and has a handy dark theme for late-night writing under low light. The OS X version includes keyboard shortcuts and the same alternate dark theme. Editorial for iPad ($4.99) Editorial is a plain-text editor for the iPad with support for scripting, Markdown and Dropbox sync. It also has a smart keyboard designed for writing Markdown. iA Writer for iPhone and iPad ($4.99) iA Writer is advertised as "Two in one" as it runs on the iPhone and the iPad, and is able to sync documents via iCloud or Dropbox. A focus mode on the iPad lets you concentrate on what you are writing right then and there. It's our top pick if you want to write using any iOS device at your disposal. Scrivener for OS X ($45) Scrivener is the must-have app for budding novelists who primarily write on their Mac. Besides writing, the app helps you organize and format your novel as you go along. Usually available for $45 with a free 30-day trial, Scrivener is extending its trial beyond 30 days and is offering a 50 percent off discount to NaNoWriMo winners. If you don't complete your NaNoWriMo challenge, you still can enjoy 20 percent off the retail price of the app. TextWrangler, Nocs, TextEdit and Notes as free alternatives Nocs is a basic text editor for iOS that supports Dropbox syncing and Markdown. It'll let you write on the go and retrieve your content on Dropbox when you sit down on your Mac to write. TextWrangler is a text editor for OS X from Bare Bones Software, creator of the popular BBedit. It's great for writing code and can double as a text editor in a pinch. Its support for searching across multiple documents, FTP open and save and syntax highlighting set it apart from the OS X's built-in text editor. TextEdit is the default text editor in OS X. It's not cross-platform and it certainly doesn't have the feature set of many of the other apps described here, but it can definitely be your go-to free text editor for either plain text or rich text format (RTF) documents. Just look in your OS X dock for that familiar pen and paper icon. Apple Notes app on iOS and OS X. Notes app is free, easy to use and syncs across iOS and OS X devices. There are little to no features beyond entering text, but it could be a lifesaver if inspiration hits and your favorite writing tools are far away.
Five games to fill your Halloween with horror
Tomorrow is Halloween and it's one of the scariest nights of the year. Get ready for some terror-filled fun with these five horror-themed games. Slender Rising [iOS Universal; $2.99] The best Slender game for iOS. So scary, it'll give you nightmares. Dead Effect [iOS Universal; $3.99] Shoot down infected zombies in the science fiction-based first person shooter. With the intense background track, it's a chilling experience. Into The Dead [iOS Universal; Free] A survival game that throws you into the middle of a zombie apocalypse. Eyes - The Horror Game [iOS Universal; $0.99] Walk through an abandoned haunted house as you collect bags of money. Around each corner is a horrible threat that you must avoid at all costs. Yea. And those eyes on the wall... The Haunt 2 [iOS Universal; $0.99] Ghosts are scattered throughout the countryside as you solve a series of puzzling mini-games. You'll have to search for clues carefully as your make your way around dark and mysterious villages. If you want even more games, then check out Haunting Melissa and Year Walk, two unsettling favorites.
Five apps to up the spookiness as Halloween draws near
Fall is in the air, and the spookiest autumn holiday is right around the corner. To help get you in the mood for trick-or-treating, you should check out these five Halloween-themed apps. A StoryBots Halloween - Starring You as a Ghost, Vampire, Frankenstein, Werewolf & Mummy for Kids, Parents, Teachers [iOS Universal; Free] Add up to five photos to create a spooky Halloween video starring you and your friends or family. The app uses JibJab's iconic personalization technology to create these distinctive videos that you can share via Facebook, Twitter or email. Walking Dead: The Game [iOS Universal; Free] Zombies and more zombies, need I say more? A Stickman Pumpkin Shooting Showdown Bow and Arrow Pro : Halloween Edition [iOS Universal; $2.99] Can you shoot the pumpkin off stickman's head? Or will you miss and shoot him through the heart? Pumpkin Creation - Halloween dress game [iOS Universal; Free] Create your own virtual pumpkin carvings using five different shapes, 10 different skins and more than 20 kinds of facial features. Make each pumpkin as gorgeous or as ghoulish as you want. Halloween 13: Daily Spooky Surprises (2013 edition) [iOS Universal; Free] Engage in chilling daily challenges and uncover spooky surprises each day leading up to Halloween.
Seven apps that take advantage of the M7 motion coprocessor in the iPhone 5s
The iPhone 5s is the first iOS device to include the new M7 motion co-processor. The chip gathers motion data from the accelerometer, gyroscope, and compass and translates that information into body motion. There are a small, but growing number of fitness apps that use the M7 to track your daily steps. Some are polished fitness trackers and some are basic pedometers, but all of them will give you a peek into the type of information that is being monitored by the M7. MotionX-24/7: Sleep Cycle, Snore, Heart Rate, Activity Tracker [iPhone; $0.99] MotionX-24/7 is an activity tracker and sleep monitor for the iPhone. It allows you yo analyze your sleep cycle, monitor your workouts and track your weight. A smart alarm feature will track your sleep cycle and wake you up at the optimal time. WeatherRun [iPhone; $1.99] WeatherRun is a tracking app that logs your outdoor activity along with the weather, altitude, humidity and temperature. ARGUS - Motion and Fitness Tracker by Azumio [iPhone; $1.99] ARGUS - Motion and Fitness Tracker is a multi-faceted fitness tracker that monitors your daily activities, food consumption, workouts, sleep, hydration, weight and more. M7 Pedometer - Steps [iPhone; Free] M7 Pedometer - Steps is a simple app that uses the M7 chip to shows your daily and cumulative steps. Strava Run [iPhone; Free] Strava Run is a social exercise app that tracks your running routine as you compete against your friends and climb up the leaderboard. Burning Meter Pro [iPhone; $4.99] Version 3.0 of this fitness tracker and educational app adds support for the M7 processor. It's meant for people looking to get started on their fitness program and is not for the seasoned athlete. Pedometer++ [iPhone; Free] Pedometer++ is a basic pedometer app that shows your daily and weekly step counts. StepTracker [iPhone; Free] StepTracker is a basic pedometer app that shows your daily step counts for the past 7 days. You can view today's data as well as scroll back to see what how much you moved a week ago. App is free, but iAd supported.
Five apps that look fantastic on iOS 7
Today is the big day you've all been waiting for since WWDC 2013. After months of reading about iOS 7, you can finally download this version of iOS and install it on your iOS device. Once you get settled in with the new features, you'll want to install some apps. To get you started, here are five of our favorite apps that look great on iOS 7. 7 Minute Workout "Seven" [iOS Universal; Free] No workout equipment, just seven minutes a day. Reach a goal of seven minutes a day for seven months using Seven, a seven-minute workout app from Perigree. Any.do [iOS Universal; Free] Simple, functional and pleasing to the eye. It embodies the design of iOS 7 and is worth every penny you spend on it. Around Me [iOS Universal; Free] Around Me is a location app that helps you find the nearest gas station or the best restaurant in the area. The latest version adds some color and a lot of iOS 7 style to the app. LetterGlow [iPhone; $1.99] LetterGlow is a newcomer to the photography category, and it made a big impression when it launched. The latest version of the text-over-photo app adds iOS support and a few new features. It's a wonderful complement to the fancy new camera app in iOS 7, and I can't wait to try it with the new iPhone 5s. TED [iOS Universal; Free] TED is known for its innovative talks from the world's brightest people, so it's not surprising the iOS app has a fresh new look to keep in style with iOS 7.
Five apps that landed politicians in hot water
It's not just a US phenomenon. Politicians worldwide have a habit of being caught doing inappropriate things with their iPhone, iPad or Mac. We couldn't cover them all, so we chose five scandals and identified the apps used in the offending acts. Read below to find out which iOS or OS X apps have gotten some of our world leaders in hot water. VIP Poker [iOS Universal; Free] This is the game Senator John McCain was caught paying during a hearing on America's possible use of force against the Syrian government. His subsequent tweet defending his behavior has not helped his cause. Rocket Bird [iPad; $2.99] Roberto Menia, coordinator for Italy's Future and Freedom party, was caught playing a version of Rocket Bird in Parliament. Apparently, the politician sitting next to him was playing along, too. Flick Kick football [iOS Universal; $0.99] Well-known Italian politician and sports fanatic Sabatino Aracu was spotted playing Flick Kick football while keeping his Parliamentary seat warm. Tweetdeck [OS X; Free] Remember Anthony Wiener's notorious crotch shot DM fail that led to the Representative's resignation from Congress? Well, that now-deleted tweet was sent from a version of Tweetdeck. Mobile Safari [iOS Universal; Free] Note to politicians -- browsing the web on the iPad during an important meeting can cause lots of headaches, especially when inappropriate content starts gracing your screen. Just ask Italy's Silvio Berlusconi, Thailand's Pongpan Sunthornchai or Indonesian lawmaker Arifinto.
Five apps to end your summer in style
It's Labor Day weekend -- the last big summer holiday before it's back to the grindstone of school and work. Here are five apps to help you recreate in these waning days of summer. Oh Ranger! Parkfinder [iPhone; Free] Plug in your location and find nearby local, state and national parks. Filter by activity to find public places with your favorite activities. History Here [iPhone; Free] Whether you are visiting a new area or spending time at home, fire up the History Here app to get facts, photos and maps of nearby historic locations. Jetpac [iPad; Free] Share the photos of your trip and view photos of your friend's vacations using this wonderful slideshow app that pulls its content from Facebook. Create a travel bucket list from these photos and plan your next trip. Postagram Postcards [iPhone; Free] Mail vacation postcards the easy way using your iPhone. You get two free postcards for signing up, and any additional postcards are available for a small fee. SnappyCam Pro [iPhone; US$0.99] SnappyCam Pro is one of the best photography apps for capturing action photos in rapid succession. Snap that perfect shot as you tube on the lake, dive into the water or reach to snag that ball before it goes over the fence.
Five social apps to help you make a decision
Anyone who knows me well understands that I hate making decisions. From what to eat to where to go on vacation, I'd rather have little to no choice in the matter. For decision-avoiding people like me, there are a growing number of social decision-making apps that let you turn to your friends or the internet at large to help you make a decision. Here are five of them I have stumbled upon recently. Seesaw for iPhone [iPhone; Free] Seesaw allows you take a photo of your choices and then share them with the community to help you make a decision. You can also send your seesaws to your friends in your address book and they can respond without signing up for the service or installing the app. Loop -- Social Polling [iPhone; Free] Loop is a social polling app that lets you ask any question and get an instant answer. People responding to questions can do so without downloading or installing anything. It's more than just life decisions -- you can loop in your Pinboard or Amazon items, so you can use it for shopping advice and more. The app also allows you to create private polls and display an infographic of the voting results from a poll. Deciderr -- Social Decision-Making [iPhone; Free] Deciderr is a social app that lets you post a "Yes or No" question to help you make a decision. You can post your own questions or respond to questions posted by the people you follow. You can also share your question on Twitter or Facebook. PeepAdvice [iPhone; Free] PeepAdvice allows you to get advice quickly by asking simple questions with two choices that are open for voting. Your followers can then chime in with their favorite choice. PeepAdvice is a wide-open forum for discussing health, romance, purchases and more. Polar [iPhone; Free] Polar is a social polling app that lets people both vote and comment on your polls. As you share polls, you can build a following and follow others on the social network. You can chat with others and create or share polls right within the chat messages. It's a social experience that's part talking, part decision-making.
Five fact-filled apps for Shark Week
It's Shark Week -- that time of the year when sharks take center stage on the Discovery Channel and beyond. This year's shows have been marred by the Megalodon controversy, but that doesn't mean you still can't enjoy learning about the shark species. Below you will find five shark-related apps to supplement your knowledge of the finned fish. Discovery Kids Sharks [iPad; Category: Education; $4.99] A fact-filled app from Discovery that teaches children about sharks. The app also includes interactive games and digital trading cards. Expedition White Shark for iPad [iPad; Category: Education; $3.99] Expedition White Shark allows you to receive near real time Great White Shark tracking data thanks to the scientists at the Marine Conservation Science Institute (MCSI). Data is collected from tagged sharks when they surface and are relayed via satellite to MCSI. Discovery Kids Readers: Sharks [iOS Universal; Category: Books; $1.99] Discovery Kids Readers: Sharks brings sharks to the little ones in your household. The book includes vivid photographs, fun facts and a quiz. Targeted for children 4 to 8 years old. Shark Net - Predators of the Blue Serengeti [iPhone; Category: Education; Free] Another shark-tracking app that allows you to follow sharks as they migrate off the coast of California. Data is compiled from the collaborative shark research of Stanford University scientists and the GTOPP -- the Global Tagging of Pacific Predators project. Learn Sharks Now! [iOS Universal; Category: Education; Free] Learn Sharks Now! includes 30 shark cards with pictures and facts about our this fish. A quiz mode will test your knowledge of the shark. And one bonus app for you gamers out there! Hungry Shark Evolution [iOS Universal; Category: Games; Free] Play as a shark and feed on sea creatures, swimmers and fisherman. Eat and grow from a pup into a full-grown Great White Shark.
Five apps for the summer blockbuster movie season
Summer is reaching its peak which means the blockbuster movie season is in full swing. Below is a list of five movie apps, hand-picked by the folks at TUAW, to test your movie trivia and make your movie watching experience more enjoyable. Check out the list below and add your own recommendations in the comments. Anything After -The Movie Credits Stinger App [iOS Universal; US$0.99] Don't miss that funny cut scene because you skipped the credits to hurry out to your car. Anything After will let you know when a movie has a bonus scene or extra content after the credits. Run Pee [iOS Universal; $0.99] Run pee will tell you the best time to take a bathroom break during a movie. You can relax while you relieve yourself knowing you won't miss an important scene. 4 Movie Scenes [iPhone; Free] Challenge your friends by asking them to identify the movies shown in a montage of scenes grabbed from popular flicks. Jumbl: movies [iOS Universal; $0.99] Test your movie knowledge by unscrambling the world jumble to spell the titles of popular movies. MediaStinger [iPhone; Free] Another stinger app that'll let you know whether a movie has extra content after or during a trailer. It also includes news, movie reviews, and trailers for your viewing pleasure.
Five apps to help you identify birds and their beautiful songs
Spring means migration and the return of birds to many parts of North America. It also means warmer weather and sunny days that are perfect for birding. Here is a list of apps to help you get outside and start learning about our feathered friends (all prices are USD). Field Guide for birds [iOS Universal; $0.99 to $19.99] There are several big-name field guides that include photos and illustrations to help identification, bird calls, range data and other information about each bird species. Included in this list of guides are Audubon, Peterson, Sibley and the all-digital iBird. Audubon Birds is a digital version of the popular paperback field guide. It has excellent images of the birds, range maps and multiple calls and songs for each bird. It also includes NatureShare which allows you to find and share local bird sightings. The Audubon Birds app is on sale now for $3.99, down from $14.99. Peterson is another pocket guide to North American birds that has made its way to the digital platform. Peterson has a full version of its paperback guide that sells for $14.99. The company also recently introduced a Pocket edition of its traditional guide that features a lower price tag ($0.99) and a fewer details. Sibley, another paperback guide, is known for its great illustrations and these details look great on the iPad and iPhone. The Sibley eGuide also has a handy comparison tool and a bird song repeat feature so you can call out to other birds while you are in the field. The Sibley eGuide to North American birds costs $19.99. iBird offers a variety of guides to suit your pocketbook and your geographical location. If you want a guide that covers 938 North American and Hawaiian species, then you should check out the iBird Pro Guide to Birds, currently available for $19.99. This version also includes audio songs and calls, a search feature that lets you save frequently used searches and iCloud syncing for your notes and favorite birds. There is also a Plus version available for $14.99 that has fewer search filters than the Pro version. iBird has affordable versions ($6.99) for regions like the Midwest, West, South and North. iBirds also has a backyard birds version that'll get you birding from the comfort of your deck longer for $2.99. Larkwire Birdsong Series [iOS Universal; $14.99 or less] If you want to turn memorizing bird calls into a game, then you should check out the Larkwire Birdsong series. Similar to the bird guides, Larkwire has several universal iOS apps to meet the needs of a variety of birders. A Master Birder version is available for both land birds and water birds. The master land bird version includes 394 sounds that cover 343 land species, while the water bird version has 253 sounds from 135 species of water birds. Between these two guides, almost all the major North American land and water birds are covered. Larksong's regional guides, core guides and backyard guide will introduce you to bird calling on a smaller scale. There's even a basic guide that includes 20 essential bird songs for free. Chirp! Bird Song USA+ [iOS Universal; $2.99] Chirp! Bird Song USA+ is part bird song app, part reference app. It uses GPS to find bird calls that are common in your location. As your bird-calling skills improve, you can branch out to include all 263 bird song and calls in the app. Besides the audio recordings, the app has snippets about each call and quiz feature to test your knowledge. Cornell Lab Bird Q&A [iPhone; $2.99] The Cornell Lab Bird Q&A app is an educational app about birds. It features a question-and-answer format that cover cool facts about birds, bird feeding, migration and more. These frequently asked questions are answered by the experts from the Cornell Lab of Ornithology. Birdwatchers Diary [iPhone; $12.99] Birdwatcher's Diary is a journaling app that allows you to log your bird sightings while in the field. Each entry includes field notes, a time stamp, location information and more. When you are done, you can upload your birding lists to eBird or back them up to Dropbox.
Five apps that'll help you follow the 2013 NFL Draft
It's a big day for football fans who are gearing up for the 2013 NFL draft. The first round picks start tonight, Thursday, April 25, at 8:00 PM ET, followed by the second and third round on Friday and Saturday, respectively. Use one or all of these iOS apps below to bone up on the draft picks as well as follow the NFL draft live for the next few days. Draftpedia [iPhone; Free] Draftpedia offers comprehensive draft information for the NFL and NBA that extends back to 1970 for the NFL and 1969 for the NBA. It's a wealth of sports draft information right at your fingertips. 2013 Draft HQ - Pro Football [iOS Universal; US$2.99] 2013 Draft HQ - Pro Football is your one-stop shop for information about the draft. Follow news on the top players and read their stats from when they were in college. There are also mock drafts and forums so you can participate in the draft instead of just reading about it. CBS Sports App [iPhone; Free] The CBS Sports app will offer streaming coverage of CBSSports.com's Draft Show Live on the iPhone. The CBS app will also feature mock drafts, player profiles and a live draft picker with round-by-round picks. NFL Mobile [iOS Universal; Free] The NFL Mobile app will provide live video coverage of the NFL draft as well as other draft features like draft alerts and draft trackers, which allow you to follow your favorite prospects and teams. Note: Some features may require a subscription and may be limited to Verizon or Verizon Wireless customers. NFL 2013 [iOS Universal; Free] The NFL 2013 app also offers live coverage of the draft and includes Draft Xtra, a second-screen experience that you can monitor while you watch the draft on TV or over the internet at NFL.com/LIVE. There's also news, analysis and mock drafts. Note: Some features may require a COX, Cablevision or FiOS NFL Network subscription.
Earth Day 2013: Five apps that'll help you protect and enjoy our amazing planet
More than 1 billion people today will take part in Earth Day 2013. Governments, businesses, organizations and individuals will take time to celebrate the incredible planet on which we live. Below, you will find five apps to help you get outside and enjoy nature as well as take steps to protect the Earth in your daily life. iRecycle [iOS Universal; Free] Reduce, reuse and recycle. Use iRecycle to find convenient recycling opportunities when you are at home or away. iRecycle provides you with more than 1.5 million ways to recycle more than 350 materials. Vegetable Tree - Gardening Guide [iPhone; $3.99] Use Earth Day to get started on that garden. Vegetable Tree covers the basics of sowing, growing and harvesting of a variety of vegetables. There is also information on seed depth, germination soil temperature, pH Range, indoor and outdoor requirements and more. MapMyHike+ GPS Hiking [iPhone; $2.99] Get outside today and enjoy some fresh air. When you head out, don't forget to fire up MapMyHike+ GPS, which lets you track your hike and log them for future reference. Keep track of every path you follow and build an online journal of your hikes. WattchIT [iOS Universal; $2.99] WattchIT lets you analyze home electricity costs on a per room basis. Use the tips in the app to make changes in your electricity usage and save money. An excellent, but smaller companion to WattchIT is Stopwattch, which lets you set a timer to measure the energy usage of a single appliance or electronic device. Geography Quiz Game [iPhone; Free] Learn more about the world in the Geography Quiz Game. You can play online against other via Game Center or play against your friends in multiplayer tournaments.
Five apps to kick off the golf season
The prestigious Masters Golf Tournament is in full swing this weekend. Held during the first full week in April, the Masters kicks off the golf season for golfers in the northern climates. To help you track the pros and improve your own golf game, check out some of the top golfing apps available in the iOS App Store. The Official Masters Tournament app [iPad; Free] The official app of the Master tournament will keep you up to date with live streams, scores and news from the Augusta National event. There's also an iPhone version that is available for free. Rotary Swing Golf Instruction [iOS Universal; Free] Rotary Swing Golf Instruction is a video tutorial app that'll teach you how to swing like the pros. The app includes 16 free videos, and you can use an in-app subscription to get access to a library of over 100 videos. New videos are added every month. Golf Channel [iOS Universal; Free] Follow all the latest news and analysis about the current golf season from Golf Channel experts. Keep track of the leader board and follow your favorite players during tournaments. Golf Magazine [iPad; Free] The Golf Magazine app brings the popular Golf Magazine to your iPad. Each issue is filled with tips to improve your golf game. There are also interviews with the pros and gear reviews. You can buy single issue for $4.99 via an in-app purchase. You also can buy a 1-month subscription for $1.99 or a 1-year subscription for $14.99. Super Stickman Golf 2 [iOS Universal; $0.99] Super Stickman Golf is a golf game anyone can enjoy. The latest version includes 20 dynamic courses, customizable characters and both turn-based and race multi-player modes.
Five apps to help you follow the 2013 baseball season
Major League Baseball kicked off its 2013 season last Sunday and we are entering our first full weekend of games. If you are ready to fill your iPhone or iPad with apps to follow every home run, then check out our list of some the best baseball apps available for iOS. MLB.com apps [iPhone or iPad; varies] You can't talk about baseball apps without mentioning MLB.com's suite of outstanding apps. The list includes At Bat 2013, At The Ballpark, Beat The Streak and Full Count. At Bat's most compelling features (game audio and video) require a $19.99 in-app subscription for the season or $2.99 a month, but MLB.TV Premium participants get the app's full suite of options for no additional cost. Team Stream [iPhone; Free] Team Stream is a sports news aggregator that lets you set up personalized streams about your favorite teams. It supports notifications so you will be alerted with breaking news of trades, injuries and the like. Baseball Outs [iOS Universal; Free] Baseball Outs is a a mini-fantasy baseball game that makes watching a baseball game with friends even more enjoyable. You can create a game, draft players and compete against your friends. Fantasy Baseball apps [iPhone or iPad; $4.99 or less] The baseball season gets more involving if you're competing in your fantasy leagues against your friends. You can manage fantasy teams using the official ESPN Fantasy Baseball app or the official Yahoo! Fantasy Baseball app. If you use both leagues, then you might want to check out Fantasy Baseball '13 for ESPN/Y from Bignoggins Productions. Bignoggins also makes Fantasy Monster Pro, which supports ESPN baseball, Yahoo baseball and several different sports. MiLB [iPhone; Free] MiLB is for the minor league baseball fans in our audience. You'll get complete stats, schedules, standings and the latest news for every Triple-A and Double-A team. Like At Bat 2013 and the other titles above, the MiLB app is sold by MLB.com.
Five apps to help you manage your essential spring activities
Days are getting longer, temperatures are rising and spring is finally in the air. Here are several iOS apps to help you handle the major activities of the season including spring planting, spring fever, spring cleaning, spring vacation and the dreaded spring allergies. Garden Tracker - Bumper Crop (iPad, $3.99) Garden Tracker is an iPad planner for your backyard garden that'll let you record the location of the plants that you planted. If you don't have a green thumb, you can choose to grow your own virtual flowers and send them as a bouquet using the Flower Garden app from Snappy Touch. Chimani's National Parks (iOS Universal, Free) The Chimani's National Parks app provides you with a ton of information on National Parks, monuments, battlefields and other historic sites in the US. There's also a passport feature that lets you track the National Park system places that you visit. An optional news add-on ($1.99 IAP) will give you daily park traveler news, which could be helpful when you have spring fever and want to get some serious outside time. If you are looking for a place to stay, then check out this Camp & RV accommodation guide from Allstays. HomeRoutines (iOS Universal, $4.99) HomeRoutines is a housecleaning task manager that lets you schedule your common household chores. You can group tasks according to how often you do them (daily, weekly, monthly) or by zones within your house. A new seasons feature lets you set aside jobs that are suitable for spring cleaning. It's a flexible manager that can be adapted to work with popular cleaning routines like FlyLady or Organized Home. Tripomatic Trip Planning (iPhone, Free) Tripomatic is a travel guide app with information on more than 30,000 attractions worldwide. The app lets you plan out your trip and receive information about attractions that are on your route. Tripomatic also has an offline component so you can make changes to your itinerary while offline and sync the changes when you hop back online. The Pill Book (iPhone, $3.99) The Pill Book is one of the most popular consumer-focused drug guides in the United States. Now available for your iPhone, the app allows you to track medications for multiple family members, setup reminders for your medications, and browse through a wealth of drug information. It's a perfect reference for spring allergy sufferers looking for some medicinal relief from their seasonal symptoms.
Five apps for business card scanning
Persistent critters, those little analog cardboard rectangles. Even with the option to scan QR Codes, email vCards or bump phones to swap contact information, the venerable business card keeps on trucking -- and keeps on making it challenging to leap from analog to digital information. If your career or avocation takes you to meetings, trade shows or conferences, chances are you too have a pile of to-be-dealt-with business cards that could stand a good digital shakedown. Here's our five apps rundown of a few good choices for handling business card scanning on the go. SHAPE's Business Card Reader: Last year, we noted that the US$4.99 Business Card Reader expanded its offerings with an iPad version of the app. BCR delivers capable scanning and OCR (using libraries licensed from high-end scanning developer ABBYY, which has its own app suite as well), with a good verification step to make sure that the recognition is matching the actual card data. BCR can quickly export scanned data to your device address book, match LinkedIn connections, and in the latest version it hooks directly into the CRM tools of Salesforce.com for marketing and sales pros. Evernote Hello: I wasn't all that taken with the first version of Evernote's free meet-and-manage contact app; it was buggy, and it seemed awkward to ask a new acquaintance "Mind if I take your picture so I remember you?" Things have definitely changed for the better with January's version 2 release. In addition to manual entry and Hello-to-Hello audio contact sharing (very cool, I recommend giving it a try), the beautifully designed app now supports business card scanning -- temporarily free for both regular and premium Evernote users, although at some point down the road the regular user scan allowance may be curtailed or changed to IAP. Evernote's expertise with text recognition and knowledge of the iPhone's camera capabilities seems to have paid off, as Hello is now delivering some of the best and quickest scan results I've seen. My favorite feature is the heads-up display that automatically detects the card and gives you instant feedback on getting the best image ("use a shallower angle," "center the card," "hold the phone steady," etc.); as soon as Hello thinks it's got the shot, it captures the scan automatically. If it can't auto-detect, it falls back to manual mode, but most of the time with a light card on a dark background it nails it in one try. Within a few seconds, the data is detected, and if you're signed into LinkedIn via Hello, the card will be matched with that contact immediately. Hello also links a "meeting" note to give context to the encounter, rather than leaving a bare contact without metadata. Some minor quibbles aside (you can't edit the Hello notes in either the desktop or iOS versions of the regular Evernote app, for one), Hello is a winner. Without a firm date or pricing for the end of the free scan trial for non-premium Evernote users, my recommendation is to use it while you can. LinkedIn's CardMunch: With more than 2 million cards processed already, the free scanning app from your friendly neighborhood social network for professional use has simplicity and volume on its side. Assuming you already use LinkedIn's connection ecosystem, CardMunch's scanning speed and off-device processing make it great for dealing with a lot of cards in batch mode, and you can make notes on each scan before it's recognized on the back end. Of course, the trade-off of the cloud processing step is that you can't easily OCR cards on the plane on the way home without forking over for some WiFi. Also, checking for errors is a two-step process since the scan and the data return are a few minutes apart -- but CardMunch tends to make fewer mistakes than other apps, so that's not a big drawback. WorldCard Mobile: When I last checked out the $6.99 WCM app a year ago, it stood up well against competitors like CardMunch and BCR. Since then, the app has added QR Code scanning with support for both vCard and meCard formats, iOS 6 compatibility, support for double-sided cards, batch scanning, duplicate search and direct synchronization with Google contacts. WCM's interface is still in need of some redesign TLC, but for rapid and accurate scanning, it's a good choice. Note that WCM also requires you to tap a small button on the screen to take a card photo, while other apps let you tap the whole screen or auto-detect the card (Evernote Hello). NeatCloud and NeatMobile: If you're in the habit of keeping all your print-to-digital documents in the Neat ecosystem driven by one of the company's desktop scanners, you're already comfortable with the OCR and filing capabilities of the platform. What's new is that Neat is extending your scanned repository into the cloud and onto your iPhone, with the NeatMobile / NeatCloud combination app and service. NeatCloud gives you on-the-road access to your scanned docs, and in turn the NeatMobile app allows you to scan back to that pile of data from wherever you happen to be. This sync isn't a free service, however; monthly plans start at $5.99 for individual users. As such, the mobile app doesn't worry much about handling address book sync or other standalone features; the workflow is that you'll do that processing back on your Mac or PC with the downloaded scans. Neat's app does a solid job of scanning business cards in standalone mode, but for true accuracy with a human touch the optional NeatVerify pass submits your scan for a once-over by a person to make sure everything is in the right place. NeatVerify credits are linked to your NeatCloud account.
Thanking the Academy: Five Apps for the 2013 Oscars
If you're eagerly awaiting the 85th Academy Awards airing this Sunday on ABC, you may find one of these five apps useful before and during the show -- and all of them are free. Good luck to the nominees! Oscars The official app for the event. It's pretty much a US-only affair, and isn't perfect, but it's a handy way to learn more about the nominated performers, creators and films. You can also fill out a virtual Oscar ballot and share it on Facebook. I found it was a somewhat better experience than the mobile version of oscar.go.com (which pushes you to download the app anyway). Of course, the app really kicks into gear on Sunday night; it will provide Backstage Pass live streams from the red carpet, control room and backstage to deliver a "second screen" experience as you watch the big show. Fair warning: the streams are all sponsored by Samsung, so you may be subjected to a certain amount of iPhone-needling. Stitcher The streaming radio service has been amping up the original content lately, and it is now promising exclusive red carpet coverage on Sunday. If you haven't tried Stitcher and you want a different take on the show, this Sunday is a good time to give it a try. Live From the Red Carpet Speaking of red carpet coverage, E! has been at it for a long time. While I haven't used this one, the app has a perfect rating on the store. If you are a red carpet junkie, this is probably going to make you happy until the show starts. Awards Hero: Oscars Edition Awards Hero is not just a database of Oscar-related info; it's also a quick way to get a voting pool going with your Facebook friends. If you're looking for some friendly competition over who picks the most winners, this is your app. IMDb As the world's foremost online repository of movie information, this one seems pretty obvious. Settle disputes, look up actor histories and lots more with the original "Internet Movie Database." Awards Guide is prettier, however.
Five apps for musicians from the beginner to the pro
There is no shortage of quality music apps in the iOS and Mac App Store. Here are five music-creation titles that will appeal to both the novice and the pro. Anytune Pro+ [iOS Universal, $16.99] Anytune Pro+ is a music slow-downer practice app that helps musicians learn to play songs by ear or transcribe tracks. The app lets you slow down the tempo, adjust the pitch, repeat loops and even share comments on a track. DM1 Drum Machine [iPad, $6.99] DM1 is a vintage-style Drum Machine that turns your iPad into a beat-making machine. It includes 86 different electronic drum kits, a step sequencer, a mixer and more. Figure [iOS Universal, $0.99] An easy-to-use music making app that lets you mix drums, bass and lead synth with your fingertips. Great for the some quick jamming when you have a few minutes to spare. Drum Beats+ for Mac [OS X, $4.99] Drum Beats+ is an easy-to-use drum machine with 75 drum loops. It's made by Ninebuzz, the same folks behind Drum Beats+ for the iPhone and iPad. Musix Pro - Epic Isomorphic Harmony Music Instrument [iOS Universal, $9.99] Musix Pro takes a different approach to music theory by arranging notes based on their harmonic and musical relationships. The app includes a wide range of octaves, scales, keys, chords and modes that'll appeal to both the novice and the pro.
Five apps to keep you happy and healthy this year
Struggling to keep those New Year's resolutions to stay fit and eat nutritional foods? Find some new inspiration to stay happy and healthy with one of these five iOS apps below. Juice (iPhone, Free) Juice is a daily energy and activity tracker that lets you enter your daily routine so you can see which behaviors are draining your energy. Healthy Out (iPhone, Free) Whether you're looking for low carb meals or vegetarian dishes, Healthy Out will help you find local restaurants that meet your dietary needs or nutritional preferences. Deep Sleep with Andrew Johnson (iPhone, US$2.99) Deep Sleep with Andrew Johnson uses meditation to help you relax and get to sleep. Great for insomnia. This is one of many apps in the Andrew Johnson series that'll help you relax and decrease stress in your life. Spinning Indoor Cycling & Heart Rate Training (iOS Universal, Free) Spinning lets you track your spinning cycling workouts and other cardio activities. Gorilla Workout (iOS Universal, $0.99) Gorilla Workout is a daily workout app with detailed exercises and accompanying videos to help you to perform each move with the maximum burn. Once you complete a regimen you can share your results on Facebook or Twitter.
