Printability - App Review

Are you a PDF nut? Don't worry, you're not alone (not by a very, very long way).

Sometimes, all you want to do is convert a web page to a PDF on your iOS device; Printability does this for you.

Now for the ACIDS test:

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Having installed the App, just use Safari for browsing, as you normally would.

When you come to a page that you would like to save as a PDF document, touch the 'share' icon. Printability will appear as an option; choose it.

Unfortunately, this does not always work and even touching the 'if this site is displayed incorrectly, click here' icon does not necessarily resolve the issue.

However, if you copy and paste the url of the page that interests you into the + on the Printability home screen, then it works perfectly.

Cost
The App costs $2.

Indispensability
If you love PDF, worth considering.

Dependability
As previously mentioned, the App seems to work best by copying and pasting the url.

Security
No issues found during testing.

ACIDS Test Rating:

PDF from URL.

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

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

Fluent Mind Map - App Review

Bam - idea; boom - idea: smash - idea... well, your ideas may not make as much (or as silly) noises as mine but, for sure, you have them.

The problem with ideas is that when the creative juices are flowing, they tend to come a number at a time and, unless you write them down, the moment is usually gone.

Fluent Mind Map is a mind mapping App.

Now for the ACIDS test:

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You can start by pressing the + to create a new document and type to give it a name. Double tap to change the colour, font, and alignment. You can also drag the item wherever you want on the page. Tap and hold to create a sibling.

The padlock icon allows you to easily either allow editing, or not; in the latter state you can freely move items around, safe in the knowledge that you will not alter the contents.

Creating relationships between items (other than those that are already related, of course), simply involves double tapping the source, choosing the connector icon, and then tapping the related item(s).

Cost
Unbelievably, this App is absolutely free; $0.00.

Indispensability
If you haven't tried mind mapping, this is a great place to start... and probably stay, as well.

The App does ensure that your mind mad is neat which can otherwise be a bit of a chore.

Dependability
The App works as described. The issue with mind mapping is that you cannot just throw an idea out and connect it later, it needs a connection to be entered at the outset.

Security
There are lots of ways to share your mind maps, as well as different formats.

ACIDS Test Rating:

Mind mapping made easy.

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

You can get Fluent Mind Map here and support for the App here.

ThinkBook - App Review

ThinkBook, or to give it its full moniker, ThinkBook - Todos, Notes, Projects, Outlines does a lot.

There are those who like specific Apps for specific purposes, and those who would prefer an umbrella App; this is one of the latter.

Now for the ACIDS test:

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Interestingly, or differently, this App starts up populated with information, so that you really get a feel for the different things that can be done.

Although text (whatever classification you give it) is the mainstay of this App, it is the slider to the right of the screen that is the single tool that you will use the most often. Simply use one finger to move the slider. >This can be used for dragging notes into folders, or dragging notes into the slider to delete them (two fingers will create a copy). Somewhat more expectedly, the slider allows you to reorder your notes.

Pressing the 'i' on any given note allows to set tags, share and set other parameters.

You end up with notes (whether Todos, Notes, Projects, or Outlines) neatly listed which are easy to edit (either content or location)..

Cost
The App is free and there are in-App purchases to get iCloud support, different notebook covers, and additional themes.

Indispensability
I'm sure you need at least some of Todos, Notes, Projects, Outlines... the question is whether or not you want them together; the choice is, of course, yours.

Dependability
The App works as described in the easily accessible 'ThinkBook Manual'.

Security
You need to be careful when sharing (especially Facebook and Twitter) that you are actually sharing the information you want. This particularly important if you have different levels of outline nested.

ACIDS Test Rating:

Great combined App.

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

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

Cloud Outliner 2 Pro - App Review

Good ideas come to you at any time, any place, not just when you are sitting in front of your PC or tablet. Cloud Outliner 2 Pro allows you to enter your latest brain wave, either as the start of a new project, or add it directly into an existing plan. The big plus of this App is the integration with Evernote and iCloud.

Now for the ACIDS test:

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The first thing that will strike you with the App is that you have a nearly blank canvas to work on; a full page for your notes, uncluttered with extraneous icons.

The icons that are present allow you to create a new outline, new folder, as well as access to settings (theme, spell checking, synchronisation (Evernote, iCloud, and iTunes), colour...).

Most outliners make the job of reordering, whether to move an item up/down, or left/right in the hierarchy a nightmare. Cloud Outliner 2 Pro makes it an absolute breeze; just move the item with one finger to anywhere in the chart.

The App also supports check boxes which make it easy to see if a task is complete (if you are using the App for this purpose).

To synchronise your outline, just drag the window down and the App takes care of the rest.

Cost
The App costs $3 and there is also a lite version for you to check out if you aren't convinced.

Indispensability
If you're a structured kind of person then, outlines are your lifeline; this App could well be the one for you.

If you're an Evernote Nut (welcome to the club), this App is indispensable.

Dependability
If you've ever been frustrated by check boxes not synchronising properly between Evernote and an App, you'll welcome this App; (drum roll) the developer has cracked the problem.

Security
Individual documents can be password protected. As far as the developer is concerned, there is a detailed Privacy Policy on their site; well done.

ACIDS Test Rating:

An outliner that anyone can use; brilliant.

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

You can get Cloud Outliner 2 Pro here and support for the App here.

Tweetroot - App Review

If you're using Twitter and want to get a better handle on the content then, this could well be an App right up your street.

The developer describes it as 'get to the root of Twitter by creating word clouds to visualize the most frequent words being tweeted. Read between the tweets and discover what a @user tweets about the most or what reactions a #hashtag is generating.'

Now for the ACIDS test:

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The first thing you need to do is authorise the App to have access to your Twitter account.

Having done that, it is simplicity itself then choose one of the icons at the bottom of the page to:

Enter a Twitter user to create a word cloud based on their 1,000 most recent Tweets
Enter a hashtag to create a word cloud based on recent Tweets
Enter a Twitter user to create a word cloud based Tweets mentioning the user

You can easily set colour schemes, font, maximum words (in the cloud you are creating), placement order (random or based on frequency), and whether or not to allow vertical words.

Your result can then easily share this information.

Cost
The App costs a nominal $1.

Indispensability
This obviously depends on the use you make of Twitter. It really is useful in rapidly creating clouds that give you a handle on what is trending, as well as the ability to share this pictorial information.

Dependability
I checked out my Tweets regarding this blog and saw 'app' and 'review' as the biggest hitters, just as expected.

Security
You need to give the App access to your Twitter account but, it is only harvesting information that is already visible to other Twitter users.

ACIDS Test Rating:

Easily create Twitter info cards.

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

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