Oh my gosh, second last day! Time flies I guess, eh?
Well, anyway, like I said (what felt like a billion days ago), I am using this iPad for legit things, like school. And what does a student/future teacher need more than some reference apps? (To be fair, I am a giant nerd, and love having giant dictionaries and encyclopedias…this is the next best thing.)
12. Reference: Atlas by Collins, Dictionary.com, Merriam-Webster Dictionary, Encyclopedia Britannica, and Wikipanion
I love Atlas by Collins, even with its limited functions. When you download the free app, all it comes with is one globe – a satellite map of Earth as viewed from outer space. And I definitely think that’s neat!
There is North America! You can zoom in and see the Earth closer-up, including the location of certain cities! (You can also search, which I think is a handy function.)
There, now you can see my lovely hometown of London (which Collins seems to think is a town, not a city, but whatever).
You can also buy other globes from the store, which provide lots of different information on cultural topics like economy, politics, and the environment. Most of these new globes are just $0.99 each, with a couple being $1.99 (and I just noticed that the Communications globe was free!).
I have both Dictionary.com and Merriam-Webster Dictionary mainly because I’m a giant nerd. Dictionary.com’s app features a neat Word of the Day push – it’ll pop up in your notifications, and some of the words are kinda neat! It also comes with a thesaurus, which is a must-have for any student. You can also favorite words (though I don’t know why you’d want to?).
Um, and Merriam-Webster’s app does a lot of the same stuff…though it doesn’t have a thesaurus! And its Word of the Day doesn’t have push notifications, so you actually have to go to the app. Um. Yeah. I’m just a nerd and really like having both of them. Choose as you will.
Encyclopedia Britannnica is a classic resource, so why not have it on your iPad? You can view their extensive collection of articles, including their wonderful “This Day” section which talks about historical event on the current day in past years.
And then there’s Wikipanion – it’s essentially the Wikipedia app, that even allows some offline browsing! Yippee. Just what every iPad needs.
Bonus: The Weather Network!
I am addicted to the weather. I never ever ever leave my house before checking what the weather is. Every single day before school, as I’m starting to pick out my outfit, I check the weather – either on The Weather Network‘s TV channel or website – so that I know whether I need a jacket or sweater or rain boots. Southern Ontario’s weather is insane and completely unpredictable, so it is very necessary that I make appropriate choices. Now, the app makes that easier and quicker than ever! London is already pre-loaded for me, so I don’t waste any precious morning time finding out what my day is going to look like. (I think The Weather Network is a Canadian thing, but maybe the app works for Americans, too? I know they have American cities on there, because I’ve checked the weather pre-travel to know approximately what to expect.)
Hope these apps make your iPad super resourceful! Let me know if you found any other great Reference apps. See you guys tomorrow for the last post in the series – and I’ll finally be talking about…Games! Yay!
– Sam
Need to catch up on any part of this series? Check the handy dandy links below:
Part One: Social Media and Etsy
Part Four: eReaders and Dropbox
Part Five: Comics, Poetry, and Quotes
Part Seven: Photos and Photo Editing
Thank you for reviewing these apps. Have a nice day.