My Favorite iPad Apps :: Part 3 of 3

My Favorite iPad Apps :: Part 3 of 3

The apps in this short series are in my regular rotation - I use them daily.

Evernote logo borrowed from Assistive Technology

Evernote: A note-taking application.

Pros:

• This app has proven useful for me for grocery lists. I make the grocery list on one device and then make sure I sync devices before heading to the grocery store. The inclusion of the check box is simple yet helpful.

• I audio record my students presentations, usually about 5 minutes. I also tag the notes and they're easy to access for grading.

• For taking notes, meeting minutes and outlining presentations, it's nice to have some formatting options like italicizing and indentation.

• My Instagram pics are automatically synced to Evernote thanks to ifttt.

• The Evernote app is great for capturing business cards and organizing them, however, make sure you double check the details to make sure that it's correct.

• Before I travel, I use Evernote Clipper to capture and file notes on places to go and things to do. I assume that I won't have Internet access and I'll activate Evernote Premium to access the folder offline.

• I don't really use a calendar/task app, I sync my Google Calendar with my iPhone/iPad. Simple and easy. I also don't use the reminder option since I use that feature exclusively with Google Calendar.

Cons:

• I think the paid platform is too expensive for what you get and have access to.

• With the paid platform, you get offline access, however, you have to download and sync in advance. Depending on the size of the notebook that you want to access offline, it could take some time for it to download.

• I know that Evernote and Moleskin have a happy relationship, however, I have the Evernote Notebook by Moleskin and I'm not seeing the big difference between it and any other notebook.

Evernote is available for the iPad, iPhone and Android devices.

I hope that you've enjoyed the My Favorite iPad Apps series. Please share your thoughts on the Evernote app and the other apps in the series in the comments.

My Favorite iPad Apps :: Part 2 of 3

My Favorite iPad Apps :: Part 2 of 3

The apps in this short series are in my regular rotation - I use them daily.

Stitcher logo borrowed from EdReach.us

Stitcher Radio: Stitcher is a way to organize your podcast listening.

Pros:

• There are lots of categories to chose from, keeps track of listening stats, sync across devices, offers suggested listening.

• I have created playlists such as my favs, media, etc. It's nice to hear the various podcasts back to back.

• Typically, I begin my Stitcher use by listening to the headlines especially for AP Radio News. The AP newscasts are about 3 minutes.

• You can opt-in to get notifications when new episodes of your favorites are available.

• When you sign up and sign in on the desktop app, it's syncs your account so that you can pick up where you left off.

Cons:

• There are many podcasts to chose from, but surprisingly not all podcasts are available on the platform. 
• The options to 'thumbs up' and 'thumbs down' a podcast is a bit too small.
• The description is much larger than the 'play' button. They could easily give equal space so that the 'play' button is easy to access.
• There are some advertisements that run between podcasts. So far, it's not too annoying. However, if you do find it annoying, Stitcher has a paid non-ad platform.

Stitcher Radio is available for the iPad and the iPhone.

Please check back next Thursday for the last installation of My Favorite iPad Apps. And please add your comments about your experience with Stitcher Radio.

My Favorite iPad Apps :: Part 1 of 3

My Favorite iPad Apps :: Part 1 of 3

I've been an iPad owner for several years now. It's true that I have not always drank the Apple Kool-Aid, and I'm certainly not gulping it now, but I do love a good app.

The apps in this short series are in my regular rotation - I use them daily.

Zite logo borrowed from Twit.tv

Zite: It's a curation site for news and information, but it also helps you discover news and information.

Pros:

• Looking forward to the merger of Flipboard + Zite, but for now I'll focus on how I currently use Zite.

• For me that's what differentiates it from other curation applications. Your ability to 'thumbs up' and 'thumbs down' an article will bring you more or less of what you like and dislike.

• I use Zite for curating information on the following topics: Journalism, teaching, technology, iPad apps, Cairo, travel, podcasting, hip hop and more. I love it for a quick glance of what's happening now.

• You can sign up and then sign in to the app. It will sync across devices.

Con:

• After the app has been idle for a while, it will wipe out what you were reading and refresh the page automatically. You will rarely find your way back to the same spot, but it depends on how much time has lapsed. It think it would be better if the app asked if you want to refresh.

Zite is available for the iPad and the iPhone.

Please check back next Thursday for the next installation of My Favorite iPad Apps. And please share your comments about your use of the Zite app.

Blogging Made Easy ... thanks to the iPad

I don't know about you, but blogging has become a bit easier for me over the past few months. I have my iPad to thank for that.

I have two blogs that I try to post to at least twice weekly: The Radio Girl blog and Indy Hip Hop World. I have a third blog, Radiogirl Cards, that I haven't been very attentive to, but I aim to post there more regularly in the near future.

One thing that's made blogging easier for me lately is that I'm taking advantage of the email address for blogging using Blogger and that way I've started emailing articles and blog posts to the different blogs.

Now, in terms of apps for the iPad that are specific for blogging, I don't use any of those. What's working for me are the following apps - all of them are FREE:

My iPad Feed Reader Apps

Zite: Love the look and feel of Zite. I have several sections including and iPad section, journalism section and DIY section. I like that I can give articles a 'thumbs up' or a 'thumbs down' and that I can kick out the article to Twitter, Facebook, Instapaper, Delicious or email.

What I don't like about Zite is that it seems to take a bit of time to load in; I'd say 20 seconds or so.  Also, I don't like that you can add a subject, but not a specific feed. That means in my 'hip hop' section, I have to constantly go in and give a 'thumbs down' to some of the seedy stories that end up there. On the plus side of that, Zite does allow me to discover more stuff than any of the other apps.

Flipboard: I've always liked Flipboard ... though it was getting on my nerves just prior to the most recent upgrade. But what I recently learned (thanks to @AmrAdelAmin) is that I can create a flipboard for individual folders from my Google Reader. That's what I've been wanting (and the ability to use multiple Twitter accounts).

News360: This is not my fav app; it's just wonky and it doesn't offer much in the area of personalization, but I like it for getting the most current news headlines. You can also publish the stories to the various social media platforms and send via email too.

Pulse: I used to be a big fan of Pulse, but after a recent upgrade, the feeds are no longer updating. Pulse is aware of the problem and tried to assist me in fixing it, but it's been such a hassle. I may just go in and re-install the damn thing, but ... doesn't that defeat the purpose of being efficient?

What I did like about Pulse was the feed lines that I'd added and the look of the app. Now, I think I'll just take the feeds and add them to my Google Reader and go from there. Good luck to you Pulse.

That summarizes my use of some of the feed reader apps that I use. Again, they're helpful to keep me up to date and in keeping my blogs fresh with content.

What other apps are you using or would you suggest? Or is there some other tip that you're using to keep your blog current?