You may have missed my previous post about Wolfie. It still ranks at the top of my GoToList on my iPad. I recently acquired a couple more really cool apps, and thought, "Gee Slang, how about a post about some cool apps? Maybe people will respond with additional cool app recommendations!" In no particular order, here are the apps I seem to use the most, or find to be the most interesting now. (Post edit: I didn't plan this to be a "top 10" kind of thing - it just worked out that way. Toss in Stash, Dropbox and Bloomberg to make it a Lucky 13 instead):
1. iSpy: This is a collection of webcams around the world. It's good for a mindless few minutes or hours. I particularly like the ones of the cat hotel in Aspen, CO, (Cats! sleeping!) a set of bird feeders in Marshalltown, IA, doggie day-cares in Chicago, IL and Colorado Springs, CO. It has default filters for random, top rated, and most recent. You can also save your own favorites.
2. Star Walk: If you have any interest in the skies above you after dark, this is the app for you. The opening screen should be enough to get the blood moving:
1. iSpy: This is a collection of webcams around the world. It's good for a mindless few minutes or hours. I particularly like the ones of the cat hotel in Aspen, CO, (Cats! sleeping!) a set of bird feeders in Marshalltown, IA, doggie day-cares in Chicago, IL and Colorado Springs, CO. It has default filters for random, top rated, and most recent. You can also save your own favorites.
2. Star Walk: If you have any interest in the skies above you after dark, this is the app for you. The opening screen should be enough to get the blood moving:
Awesome, isn't it? Once the screen is showing the heavenly bodies themselves, it aligns to whatever direction and elevation you are looking. Tap on an object and tap the information icon, and all is revealed for you.
3. Waze: I admit, I don't really need this where I live, but you might. This app gives you real-time traffic data showing where you are, and where the bottlenecks are. Perfect for the second seat navigator, because you and I both know you'd never use it while driving yourself. Right?
4. Kindle: Yeah, I went there. I have a Kindle for the great outdoors (it can't be beat for bright-light reading), but I like reading in lower light locations, and my eyesight isn't what it used to be. The app works quite well both in portrait and landscape mode. I particularly like the sepia color scheme. If I'm not reading a MOBI file, I use GoodReader, and if I need to annotate, I use iAnnotatePDF. My local library has books available that I use Overdrive for. I guess books and reading are a thing for me.
5. Wundermap: I'm a weather junkie. There, I said it. That now being out in the open, this app allows me to see all the personal weather stations hooked up to the WeatherUnderground.com network. It also has weather warnings, and forecasts. Perfect.
6. MyTopo Maps: I just discovered this quite awesome app. Funny story on how I got it. I visited a local running website, and actually clicked an ad link. O_O
Possibly one of maybe thirty I've clicked in my entire history using the web, and probably one of only ten that I thought I might find something truly interesting. I was right, THIS IS AWESOME! It mixes topographic maps with the aerial (Google Earth-esque) view, and has a slider that you can use to merge the view between. So, so cool. You can also manually create GPS waypoints to create "trips." Oh, and it's FREE, so there ya go. Click ad links. ;-)
3. Waze: I admit, I don't really need this where I live, but you might. This app gives you real-time traffic data showing where you are, and where the bottlenecks are. Perfect for the second seat navigator, because you and I both know you'd never use it while driving yourself. Right?
4. Kindle: Yeah, I went there. I have a Kindle for the great outdoors (it can't be beat for bright-light reading), but I like reading in lower light locations, and my eyesight isn't what it used to be. The app works quite well both in portrait and landscape mode. I particularly like the sepia color scheme. If I'm not reading a MOBI file, I use GoodReader, and if I need to annotate, I use iAnnotatePDF. My local library has books available that I use Overdrive for. I guess books and reading are a thing for me.
5. Wundermap: I'm a weather junkie. There, I said it. That now being out in the open, this app allows me to see all the personal weather stations hooked up to the WeatherUnderground.com network. It also has weather warnings, and forecasts. Perfect.
6. MyTopo Maps: I just discovered this quite awesome app. Funny story on how I got it. I visited a local running website, and actually clicked an ad link. O_O
Possibly one of maybe thirty I've clicked in my entire history using the web, and probably one of only ten that I thought I might find something truly interesting. I was right, THIS IS AWESOME! It mixes topographic maps with the aerial (Google Earth-esque) view, and has a slider that you can use to merge the view between. So, so cool. You can also manually create GPS waypoints to create "trips." Oh, and it's FREE, so there ya go. Click ad links. ;-)
7. Khan Academy: I admit, I forgot all about fraction math quite some time ago. However, fraction math is of utmost importance to my 10-year old daughter. NOW. I remembered viewing some instructional videos a while back on algebra and trig with my son online. Imagine my delight when I discovered that the Khan Academy now has an iPad app? I think you can. It not only has videos for kid-level stuff, but for adults as well: finance, history, math, science. It's all subtitled too. Sweet.
8. FeeddlerPro: I use Google to harvest RSS feeds. I like to read on my iPad. What is the most natural app? Why, of course, one that links to my Google Reader. Feeddler does just that. I creaked open my wallet for the paid Pro version. You likely will too.
9. Trailers: I don't watch TV much, and I even more rarely go to a movie. Though I enjoy them, it's hard to know what's out there without viewing the trailers. This app gives a consolidated run down on what's out there and what's forthcoming. What's pretty cool is the Calendar view where you can see what's being released when.
10. CribbagePro: Yeah, I play games occasionally. Most of the time games are played on my iPad is when one of my spawn steals it from me though. Right now, cribbage has overtaken all the others as the game of choice. CribbagePro give a pretty good game, though I would like it to not go quite so fast on the transitions. I do like the classic Mac look though. Takes me back to my original Macintosh SE days...
8. FeeddlerPro: I use Google to harvest RSS feeds. I like to read on my iPad. What is the most natural app? Why, of course, one that links to my Google Reader. Feeddler does just that. I creaked open my wallet for the paid Pro version. You likely will too.
9. Trailers: I don't watch TV much, and I even more rarely go to a movie. Though I enjoy them, it's hard to know what's out there without viewing the trailers. This app gives a consolidated run down on what's out there and what's forthcoming. What's pretty cool is the Calendar view where you can see what's being released when.
10. CribbagePro: Yeah, I play games occasionally. Most of the time games are played on my iPad is when one of my spawn steals it from me though. Right now, cribbage has overtaken all the others as the game of choice. CribbagePro give a pretty good game, though I would like it to not go quite so fast on the transitions. I do like the classic Mac look though. Takes me back to my original Macintosh SE days...
I don't expect anyone to agree with my selection, though a few might like some of them. Send me what you are currently finding irresistible in the comments. I am always up for new fun stuff!
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