Evernote, Wikipanion & GoDocs should be in your arsenal
Target audience: Students, educators, nonprofits, social change organizations, mobile diehards.
By Jessica Haswell
Socialbrite staff
School just got easier with this collection of the top 10 apps that you can’t hit the classrooms without. Having recently left the classroom (Cornell 2010 — woot!), these are some tools that I definitely wish I had. Add them to the list of Top 10 Student Tools for Fall that we ran last month.
Evernote: A revolution in note-taking
1This app is revolutionizing notes as we know it. Evernote is a mobile and web sync friendly, media-rich note-taking machine. The basic function of the app is note-taking with the ability to add voice, photos, location and tags as well as the option to share with friends. The most exciting feature of this app is the Evernote trunk, which is filled with all sorts of valuable tools that are sure to help you excel in the classroom. Platforms: iPhone, iPad, Android, BlackBerry, Windows Mobile, Palm Pre.
Wikipanion: Who needs a textbook?
2Who needs a textbook when you have Wikipedia’s brain child, Wikipanion? This app has really high ratings – because it’s simply a great app. You can access open source content on any topic imaginable, an essential tool for any class. Platform: iPhone.
GoDocs: Essential for your Google docs
3View, download and send your Google docs from your iPhone or iPad with this $3.99 app. Google docs are the go-to collaboration tool for students, and GoDocs will make collaboration even easier. The only thing it doesn’t do is let you edit docs. Platforms: iPhone, iPad.
Cliqset: Consolidate your stream
4Sharing, discovering and discussing on mobile and the Web just got easier: Follow your streams on Facebook, Twitter, Buzz — 70 social networks all told — in one place with Cliqset. This app is sure to help students simplify their lives and help professors keep students engaged. Platform: iPhone.
MyHomework: Digital planner in your palm
5Make sure you hand in all of the assignments on time – download this app. MyHomework makes it easy to keep track of, and color code all of your homework, classes, projects and tests. The app will also notify you when you have late and upcoming assignments by numbering them on your application icon. Buh-bye, paper planner. Platform: iPhone.
Rate My Profs: Students strike back
6The website has been around for a while — more than 10 million comments about 1 million profs — and now there is a free app available for this. Gotta admit, I love it. Rate My Professor was my bible for finding some of my favorite classes at school and avoiding some of the worst. Democracy run amok? Who cares! Platform: iPhone.
Kindle: Save money on textbooks
7Digital textbooks are for sure the way to save. With over 6,000 textbooks available for the Web, mobile and tablets, Amazon’s Kindle will save you about $60 on your average textbook purchase. Multiply that by the amount of textbooks you buy in one semester — that’s a lot of extra spending money. Platforms: iPhone, iPad.
FlashCards++: No more 3x5s
8There are a lot of flashcard apps to choose from – FlashCard++ is the best bang for your buck, going for $2.99, less than a deck of 3x5s. This stand-out study app makes it easy to study anything anywhere with your mobile phone. It can sync with Quizlet and also back-up your cards to Dropbox. If you’re not pleased with this one, check out CoboCards, Cram or Flashcards Deluxe. Platform: iPhone.
Sleep Cycle: Wake up feeling your best
9While this won’t help you get more sleep, Sleep Cycle does serve as an alarm clock that wakes you up during your lightest sleep phase, helping you wake up feeling most rested and relaxed. Sleep is almost as important as studying before a big exam. Costing only 99 cents, this app is definitely worth it. Platform: iPhone.
iTranslator: Translations at your fingertips
10You can use iTranslator to connect to Google Translator, Babel Fish or Free Translation to help with your language courses. Or, maybe it’ll help you figure out what language your prof is speaking. Platform: iPhone.
Other mobile apps to check out
Other interesting apps that have come across our desk from our friends at GradeGuru:
• gFlash + Flashcards and Tests: Create your own flashcards and share them with classmates as you study.
• Alarm Clock Pro: No need for that annoying alarm clock sound, with this app you can create an alarm clock with customizable themes and the app lets you set an ITunes playlist to wake up to.
• NY Times: Tet news from the New York Times online for free while you’re on the go to make sure you’re up to date before heading to class.
• Graphing Calculator: Not only does this app have all of the functionality of a graphing calculator, a screenshot of the work can be taken and emailed to anyone.
• Convertbot: This app converts currency, length, mass, time and much more. It supports over 440 units of conversion to help with any assignments.
• Periodic: This app offers a complete reference to the Periodic Table of Elements. It also offers useful information such as an element’s atomic weight, electron configuration, melting point, boiling point, atomic radius, ionic radius and year of discovery.
• MyGPA Calculator: Calculate your GPA per semester and cumulatively.
• Look for the upcoming release of GradeGuru’s StudyTracker ($1.99), which helps you track your effort at school, class by class, to help you achieve your grade goals.
What helps you bring home the A+? Please share in the comments below.
Related
• Top Ten Student Tools for Fall 2010 (Socialbrite)
• Jessica Haswell’s last piece for us was 5 collaboration tools to enhance productivity
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 Unported.
Lifescience Textbooks says
Unclear what method will replace the textbooks but it will occur nonetheless .
Anonymous says
Try our app Tinyvox too :D http://tinyvox.com/fEb
Bernard says
Hi
I want to introduce MultiReader an Android speech application.
MultiReader speaks Word, Power Point, EPUB, PDF, RTF, text documents in several languages.
Direct access (search & download) to online libraries.
Availables voices : English, Spanish, French, German, Dutch, Portuguese, Italian, Finnish, all Android TTS Engines & languages…
This application can be usefull in public transportation, to listen documents while driving, while doing sports, for people having difficulties with fine characters on mobile phones, eLearning, etc …
Available on Android Market and http://www.handango.com/catalog/ProductDetails.jsp?storeId=2218&deviceId=2073&platformId=80&productId=242990
Official web site :
http://bsegonnes.free.fr/multireader/en_multireader.html
JD Lasica says
Thanks, Bernard, haven’t tried it but it sounds valuable!
Anonymous says
Wow, this is an incredibly Apple-based set of apps.
For Android, check out:
Evernote, as stated above
Catch, it’s like Evernote
Jorte (it’s a planner/organizer/calendar, free)
Flashcard Buddy Pro ($1.99, speaks foreign language back to you if need be, add note section and image)
iFlashcard Helper by David Skelly (free, no spoken word back, make flashcards online with text formatting options)
AnyMemo (another flashcard app, uses spreadsheet format, no available formatting, reads word back)
Astrid Tasks (to do list, free)
Thinking Space (idea landscaper, free)
Advanced English Thesaurus/Dictionary (free)
Also download the Amazon Appstore. They have a free app every day, and they are often apps for organization.
Anonymous says
Wow, this is an incredibly Apple-based set of apps.
For Android, check out:
Evernote, as stated above
Catch, it’s like Evernote
Jorte (it’s a planner/organizer/calendar, free)
Flashcard Buddy Pro ($1.99, speaks foreign language back to you if need be, add note section and image)
iFlashcard Helper by David Skelly (free, no spoken word back, make flashcards online with text formatting options)
AnyMemo (another flashcard app, uses spreadsheet format, no available formatting, reads word back)
Astrid Tasks (to do list, free)
Thinking Space (idea landscaper, free)
Advanced English Thesaurus/Dictionary (free)
Also download the Amazon Appstore. They have a free app every day, and they are often apps for organization.
Anonymous says
Wow, this is an incredibly Apple-based set of apps.
For Android, check out:
Evernote, as stated above
Catch, it’s like Evernote
Jorte (it’s a planner/organizer/calendar, free)
Flashcard Buddy Pro ($1.99, speaks foreign language back to you if need be, add note section and image)
iFlashcard Helper by David Skelly (free, no spoken word back, make flashcards online with text formatting options)
AnyMemo (another flashcard app, uses spreadsheet format, no available formatting, reads word back)
Astrid Tasks (to do list, free)
Thinking Space (idea landscaper, free)
Advanced English Thesaurus/Dictionary (free)
Also download the Amazon Appstore. They have a free app every day, and they are often apps for organization.
Anonymous says
Wow, this is an incredibly Apple-based set of apps.
For Android, check out:
Evernote, as stated above
Catch, it’s like Evernote
Jorte (it’s a planner/organizer/calendar, free)
Flashcard Buddy Pro ($1.99, speaks foreign language back to you if need be, add note section and image)
iFlashcard Helper by David Skelly (free, no spoken word back, make flashcards online with text formatting options)
AnyMemo (another flashcard app, uses spreadsheet format, no available formatting, reads word back)
Astrid Tasks (to do list, free)
Thinking Space (idea landscaper, free)
Advanced English Thesaurus/Dictionary (free)
Also download the Amazon Appstore. They have a free app every day, and they are often apps for organization.
Anonymous says
Wow, this is an incredibly Apple-based set of apps.
For Android, check out:
Evernote, as stated above
Catch, it’s like Evernote
Jorte (it’s a planner/organizer/calendar, free)
Flashcard Buddy Pro ($1.99, speaks foreign language back to you if need be, add note section and image)
iFlashcard Helper by David Skelly (free, no spoken word back, make flashcards online with text formatting options)
AnyMemo (another flashcard app, uses spreadsheet format, no available formatting, reads word back)
Astrid Tasks (to do list, free)
Thinking Space (idea landscaper, free)
Advanced English Thesaurus/Dictionary (free)
Also download the Amazon Appstore. They have a free app every day, and they are often apps for organization.
JD Lasica says
Thanks for adding more useful options for college students!
Aaaash says
Nice to see you plugging an old niche product like the iPhone
Talk Talk says
My fav is iFlipTips flip-flash card, slide and tip app http://ifliptips.com rated the best for iPhone/iPad by TheAppWhisperer #1 app website
manudam says
I’ve done a lot of exams over the past few years. I think students should try out istudyplan, a study planning app for the iphone, It works out what you should study and when. http://www.istudyplan.com.