Apologies + Thanks

Apologies to those of you who were inconvenienced (or worse) by the hijacking of this blog.

Thanks to Matti Nescio for providing the solution to the issue on Blogger Support

Use Your Handwriting GOLD - App Review

This App allows you to use your finger to make quick notes... although, that hardly does it justice.

Now for the ACIDS test:

Aesthetics
The basic screen mimics a tablet with some leather edges. There are controls at the bottom to add text, forward (E-mail, photos, Facebook, Twitter, or even publish as a web page (requires an in-app purchase)).

There is a tutorial which uses the novelty of awarding you virtual prizes as you complete stages; this is entirely optional.

The real business end is under the info button. Here you can link with your MyUYH account, set the background (choice of 14), set the note alignment, the type of nib , writing speed, left/right handed (both for your preferred hand, and writing language).

All this enables you to easily create notes that look good, are easily managed, and edited.

Cost
The App costs $10 but, there is also a Free Free

version for you to try.

Indispensability
If you like making your notes freehand, this is worth a try.

Dependability
The App works... it's up to you to make decent notes.

Security
There don't appear to be any issues with the App itself but, remember that when you share with Facebook or Twitter, many people could see what you have written.

ACIDS Test Rating:

Improves the look of your handwritten notes and makes them easier to find.

To find out how the ACIDS Test works, click here.

You can get Use Your Handwriting GOLD here and support for the App here.

Marksta - App Review

Marksta allows you to write on photographs... and much more.

Now for the ACIDS test:

Aesthetics
By tapping the camera icon at the top left, you either take a new photograph, or import an existing one from your camera roll (or wherever).

You can then choose to add (or not), a caption, copyright notice, or other text, pick the colour and easily move it with your finger to place it wherever you want on the image. You can also add a watermark which helps keep ownership of images.

You can also handily edit all the IPTC information for the image.

Having done this, you can obviously save the image as well as forwarding it by various means, including assigning it to a contact.

Cost
The App costs a modest $2.

Indispensability
There are other ways to annotate photographs but, they do not include the ability to edit metadata.

Dependability
The App is fairtly intuitive.

Security
Obviously, if you are using your own images, you can do pretty much as you will but, if you are modifying someone else's, beware of the ramifications.

ACIDS Test Rating:

Useful photographic annotation tool.

To find out how the ACIDS Test works, click here.

You can get Marksta here and support for the App here.

aNote - Screenshot extension - App Review

For those moments when a picture, or screen grab, just aren't enough.

aNote - Screenshot extension allows you to add information to the image

Now for the ACIDS test:

Aesthetics
The home page for the App allows you to choose between:

Internet - capture an image of the web page you are browsing
Book Cam - take a picture with your iOS device
Quick Memo - This is a blank page
Photo - accessed via your saved images
Scrap Files - modify records that you have previously saved

Whichever one of these you choose, you then get access to a palette which has various colours, thickness, as well as rectangular, circular, and straight line shapes, not forgetting text and freehand drawing.

This enables you to easily mark-up your document, hence highlighting anything you wish.

– Take Full page screenshot in Safari.
– Annotate screenshot with freehand draw.
– Save the screenshot to Image and Share to anywhere you want.

Cost
The App costs $3.

Indispensability
This is one of those Apps that is extremely useful but will not necessarily get daily use.

Dependability
aNote - Screenshot extension is an iPhone App which works in 1x and 2x modes on an iPad. It is extremely simple to use and reliable.

Security
This is a standalone App, although access to your photos needs to be given if you wish to annotate these.

The full screen web page capture works when the aNoteShot is enabled from within Safari.

ACIDS Test Rating:

Annotate (textually or graphically) with ease.

To find out how the ACIDS Test works, click here.

You can get aNote - Screenshot extension here and support for the App here.

Scriptus - App Review

We all take notes; some are satisfied with just putting plain text onto a sheet (as in the iOS App ,'Notes'), others want more control.

Scriptus enables you to create a simple note (if that's all you want) but also to get much more sophisticated.

Now for the ACIDS test:

Aesthetics
You are greeted by what looks like a reporter's notebook, with some icons across the top of the page. Tapping on the page brings up a keyboard (QWERTY or whatever you have set).

The controls at the top of the page include bullet and arrow indents, with the neat way of turning off by simply hitting return twice.

The text size can be increased or decreased, although only for the full page.

There are the better part of 200 emoticons that can be accessed.

A search function lets you very easily find text (you don't find that feature on all note taking Apps).

As far as I am aware, a unique feature of speaking your note, where you can set the speed and pitch, as well as the language. Obviously, this has uses, as well as providing entertainment.

Another tool gives you the number of characters and words in your document.

You can share your note as a text or pdf.

Audio notes can be created, although I could not see how to play them within the App.

Cost
The App costs a nominal $1.

Indispensability
You take notes, right?

Dependability
The audio notes function seems a little odd.

This App is iPad specific.

Security
This is a standalone App. Obviously that when you share your notes, you need to keep to the usual caveats.

ACIDS Test Rating:

Idiosyncratic and brilliant note taker/player.

To find out how the ACIDS Test works, click here.

You can get Scriptus here and support for the App here.

Bubble Browser for Evernote - App Review

You use Evernote right?

Well, here's a different way to look and search your information.

Now for the ACIDS test:

Aesthetics
Your Evernote information is represented by bubbles that are coloured red (Tags), Blue (Notebooks), and Yellow (Dates). The size of each bubble represents the number of times that any item occurs (a big bubble means there's lots of that type of information).

Tapping on any given bubble will highlight the other bubbles that contain the information, and give you the individual items to scroll through at the foot of the screen.

You can also zoom in and out to individual bubbles, at the same time as scrolling around the screen.

This really represents another way to access your Evernote content, especially handy when you are searching.

Cost
The App is absolutely free.

Indispensability
This App isn't necessarily indispensable but, it does give you a different view of your Evernote content.

Dependability
The App seems to hit the spot (or should I say bubble), every time.

Security
A real 'thumbs up' to the developer... you are given the option of using sample data to explore the App, before agreeing to let Evernote authorise the App.

ACIDS Test Rating:

Evernote searching with bubbles.

To find out how the ACIDS Test works, click here.

You can get Bubble Browser for Evernote here and support for the App here.