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TUAW Best of 2011: Vote for your favorite iPad productivity app
The nominations are in, and the poll is ready to go! The TUAW Best of 2011 awards are all about you -- the readers -- and what you think is the cream of the crop of Apple or third-party products and software. To vote, select one entry from the top nominations made by readers. We'll be announcing the winner in just a few days. Vote early and often! TUAW is asking for your votes for the best iPad productivity app of 2011. This category pulled in the largest number of nominations so far in the Best of 2011, with two apps surprising the staff here at TUAW with the number of nominations they grabbed -- "Universal Translator" app Communilator Pro (US$2.99, also available in a free version) and Virtual Office Pro ($0.99). The rest of the nominees are: Pocket Informant HD ($14.99) OmniFocus for iPad ($39.99) GoodReader for iPad ($4.99) You have a couple of days to vote, and the winners will be announced on January 3, 2012. Let the voting begin!
iOS app updates for June 25
The following iOS apps received updates in the App Store: Echofon for Twitter Version 4.0.9 was released with the following changes: Changed authentication method to OAuth through the web version of Twitter Official photo preview support (#photos) Draft saves Added the ability to copy a tweet's URL 8mm Vintage Camera Version 1.2 was released with the following changes: Added post-processing of previously rendered videos Added Super 8 lens Added Noir and 60s films Added projector-sound only and auto-save settings Added option to delete all movies from My Reels Enabled AirPlay support Nebulous Notes (for Dropbox) Version 4.3.3 was released with the following changes: Search ability added through $find macro GoodReader for iPad Version 3.8 was released with the following changes: File tabs added Side menu for creating PDF annotations added The ability to delete local files Adds the ability to create a free 5 GB SugarSync account if needed PDF freehand mode adds color changing, thickness and opacity options while drawing Redesigned PDF page slider PDF passwords memorized if a file is kept on the file tab panel and the user doesn't exit the app Files can be starred through Find Files Improved support for the iPad 2's native video mirroring
iPads on the flight decks of Alaska Airlines aircraft
I've talked about iPads for pilots a few times here on TUAW, particularly when discussing kneeboards for the device, but our sister site Engadget just pointed me to a press release from Alaska Airlines that caught my attention. The airline with the smiling Inuit on the tail has started a pair of initiatives called "Bye, Bye Flight Bag" that replace paper manuals (and eventually paper aeronautical charts) with iPads. The first part of the plan is underway, and the iPads are loaded with the GoodReader app and PDF versions of various flight, systems, and performance manuals as well as other materials. The manuals have been enhanced with hyperlinks so pilots can find information faster, and updates are done with a single tap on the screen instead of replacing individual pages in the manuals with new ones. Like the iPad you may be carrying back in your comfy seat in the main cabin, the flight deck iPads are considered Class 1 electronic devices and the pilots have to stow 'em during takeoff and landing. Alaska Airlines expects to fully pay back the cost of the initiatives in terms of reduced fuel costs from not having to carry fully-loaded flight bags, which can weigh up to 50 pounds in some cases. The airline also expects savings from fewer employee injuries since the pilots won't be lugging those hefty flight bags around. Show full PR text Alaska Airlines Pilots Go Lean And Green With iPads First major domestic airline to use iPads to replace flight manuals 5/27/2011 9:12 a.m. SEATTLE - As part of an ongoing effort to use technology to enhance flight safety, improve efficiency and protect the environment, Alaska Airlines is issuing iPad tablet computers to its pilots. The 1½-pound iPads replace up to 25 pounds of paper flight manuals that pilots are required to carry when they fly. The iPads are being distributed to all Alaska Airlines pilots, a process that will be complete by mid-June. This follows a successful trial by 100 line and instructor pilots and Air Line Pilots Association representatives, who evaluated the feasibility of using iPads as electronic flight bags this past winter and spring. Alaska Airlines is the first major domestic airline to use the iPad to replace paper manuals. "We've been exploring the idea of an electronic flight bag for several years, but never found a device we really liked," said Gary Beck, Alaska Airlines' vice president of flight operations. "When the iPad hit the market, we took one look at it and said this is the perfect fit." The iPads contain an app called GoodReader that is loaded with PDF versions of 41 flight, systems and performance manuals, reference cards, and other materials. The electronic manuals include hyperlinks and color graphics, enabling pilots to find information faster and easier. Updating these reference materials can now be accomplished with one tap on the iPad screen instead of the former, labor-intensive process of replacing individual pages with new ones. The iPad is considered a Class 1 electronic device, meaning it is stowed during takeoff and landing under Federal Aviation Administration regulations. In conjunction with replacing paper manuals, Alaska Airlines is exploring the replacement of paper aeronautical navigation charts with electronic versions on the iPad, eliminating the need for every pilot to carry their own copy. The two initiatives, dubbed "Bye, Bye, Flight Bag," will save about 2.4 million pieces of paper. The cost of the project is expected to be offset by lower paper, printing and distribution expenses and reduced fuel consumption as some weight is removed from the aircraft. Further savings are expected from fewer back and muscle injuries caused by pilots carrying flight bags that can tip the scales at 50 pounds or more fully loaded. Note to news media: A high-resolution photograph of an Alaska pilot with the iPad on the flight deck of a Boeing 737 is available in the airline's online newsroom image gallery at www.alaskaair.com/newsroom. Alaska Airlines and Horizon Air, subsidiaries of Alaska Air Group (NYSE: ALK), together serve 90 cities throughout Alaska, the Lower 48, Hawaii, Canada and Mexico. For reservations, visit www.alaskaair.com. For more news and information, visit the Alaska Airlines/Horizon Air Newsroom at www.alaskaair.com/newsroom.
GoodReader for iPad gains AirPlay, encryption, and improved PDF annotation
TUAW favorite GoodReader for iPad was upgraded to version 3.6, which boasts a number of improvements. These features include: Data encryption The ability to flatten PDFs to embed annotations Video file can be played using AirPlay Symbolic PDF page labels are supported Improved compatibility with Google Docs and Apple Preview Note that this update will take a bit longer than previous ones because GoodReader will need to process all the files that exist in it for data protection. GoodReader for the iPad is US$4.99. An update to the iPhone version, taking that to version 3.6.1, is in the approval process. [via Mac Observer]
GoodReader for iOS update now provides Auto Sync
GoodReader, the popular document reader for iOS devices, has been updated to include auto syncing with iDisk, Dropbox, SugarSync or any WebDAV or FTP server. Users are now able to download documents and/or entire folders full of documents and mark them to automatically synchronize across all remote servers, making sure that anyone with access sees only the most up-to-date document versions. Supported document types include .pdf, .txt, .doc, html, images, audio/video files and even those from iWork '08 and '09. Good.iWare president Yuri Selukoff said that "this entire update to GoodReader is dedicated to the 'Live on the cloud' idea," and I'm so thankful for that. I have been using GoodReader on my iPhone for quite some time now, and it has definitely helped me out of many a jam when working remotely on documents with co-workers. It's also popular with the TUAW staff here, as our own Victor Agreda, Jr. named it as one of the top five apps on his iPad, and Erica Sadun included it on her list of iPad apps to the rescue. Interested in giving GoodReader a try on your iOS device? There are two different versions on the App Store, both priced at US$2.99 -- GoodReader v.3.2.3 for iPhone/iPod touch and GoodReader v.3.3.0 for iPad. Good.iWare says that v.3.3.1 for iPhone/iPod touch is in Apple's review as of this writing, so we should expect to see an update on the App Store any day now.
iPad apps to the rescue
"Whenever there's a fight so hungry people can eat, I'll be there. Whenever they's a cop beatin' up a guy, I'll be there... I'll be in the way guys yell when they're mad an'-I'll be in the way kids laugh when they're hungry an' they know supper's ready. An' when our folks eat the stuff they raise an' live in the houses they build-why, I'll be there." -- John Steinbeck, Grapes of Wrath The iPad is an overlooked hero. When you need it, the iPad will be there. It will be there to access data or connect back home. It will be there to let others reach out to you, or to let you reach out to others. With the right software, and the right ingenuity, the iPad can metaphorically leap tall buildings and save the day. These are everyday rescues, not life-or-death scenarios. This post isn't about how the iPhone saved one guy's life after the Haiti Earthquakes. Here's how iPad applications can fix your workday with simple, helpful solutions that will free you from the laptop and live "la vida tablet." We've got five real world scenarios, including the iPad apps that will be there for you.
How-To: Create PDFs from your iOS device
AirPrint may not be officially implemented in Mac OS X yet, but the feature remains present in the latest iOS 4.2 GM available to developers. For those who do have iOS 4.2 GM installed on their iDevices and are hoping to enable AirPrint, we've got a handy guide for you. Or you can also can use the AirPrint Hacktivator to get the job done. That all covers printing to paper from iOS, but I've decided to take it a step further for those who want to "print" but remain paperless: Print to a PDF. And not only print to a PDF, but then immediately have that PDF accessible to the same device. Here are some rather simple steps to get your PDF on.
GoodReader is bringing syncing back
GoodReader was one of a handful of apps which had figured out how to do USB syncing to iPhones, but their solution was in violation of Apple's iPhone SDK rules. Apple eventually required all 3rd party iPhone apps to remove this functionality. Some apps, like GoodReader, could sync via iTunes but it was very limited. Wi-Fi syncing was also an option, but it was slower and prone to configuration issues. GoodReader has released a free utility named GoodReaderUSB which, as the name implies to any who haven't suffered a traumatic blow to the head, allows you to connect to GoodReader via USB. The software is free and available for Windows (XP, Vista, and 7) and Mac OS X (10.4, 10.5, and 10.6). The interface is simple enough, and if you have more than one iDevice you can connect more than one at a time. In my initial testing it worked as expected. The UI is fairly straightforward and allows for drag & drop access, folder creation, and deletion. GoodReader is available for iPad and iPhone/iPod touch. There's a free "lite" version but the app is easily worth more than the $0.99 asking price. One of the "hidden gems" of GoodReader is that it's not just a reader, but will allow you to download just about any file to your iPhone or iPad by pasting in the URL. I use it for downloading PDFs and then sending them to iBooks on the iPad.
Five apps I love on my iPad, and three that need more work
We've had the iPad available for the better part of a week now; here are a few apps that have risen to the top, along with a few more that have sunk to the bottom. 1. GoodReader. Despite Air Sharing going iPad (I had the iPhone version) and MobileStudio providing a nifty universal binary (so the app upscales nicely), I decided to give GoodReader a try. It now sits in my dock. MobileStudio requires FTP, and I wasn't in the mood to drop more cash on AirSharing Pro as I've already spent way too much on apps. I also tried MyPDFs and iPDF but felt they were too limited and rushed to be useful to me. GoodReader, however, hits the spot as a wonderful and capable PDF reader. Plus, it'll read text, image, audio and video files and anything that can be opened by Safari. I'm using GoodReader to manage some big PDF files, upwards of 200MB each, and it handles everything brilliantly. It also plays .mov files. Granted, this performance is thanks in part to the powerful processor in the iPad, but the speed boost in working with PDFs is a welcome change to my now-cramped iPhone readers. There are a few UI tweaks that could be made when managing files, it's true. Still, adding folders, moving things around, and so on, are all there like a little mini-Finder. Piling a bunch of data into your iPad is easy and will look good. %Gallery-89961%
