Category: High School + »

The Raven By Edgar Allen Poe from vNovel Interactive delivers two well-done versions of this classic gothic poem. Choices include watching this poem, nicely enhanced with music and voice-over, or reading this poem to oneself. Here the experience is heightened by the use of sound effects nicely placed throughout. Be sure to keep an eye out for hidden faces that appear and disappear among the illustrations. A version in HD is also available.

From the time this famous narrative poem was first written in 1845, many versions have been made available to the fans of Edgar Allen Poe. Here, I found both the experiences of "listening" as well as "reading" this application to be nicely stylized and good choices for anyone who is looking to be exposed to this gothic tale, as the illustrations further the experience and are extremely well done, as is the music and narration. Although the narrator speaks a little fast at times for my taste, the sound of his voice works very well to create an eerie, dark quality as do all the elements of this application.

I also very much enjoy the section of this app where one can read to oneself. Here, there are sound effects like doors creaking, wind blowing or noises from the raven itself. Although these sounds are sometimes a little on-the-nose, I find that they do add a lot to the experience and I appreciated being a little startled when the raven squawked for the first time. The words are delivered at the bottom of the screen and are easy to read - one phrase at a time, but it does to some degree take away from the original paragraph structure intended by Poe.

I think this would be a good application for students as well as Poe fans. The illustrations, music and narration make it a very worthwhile version of this classic poem.

Auryn Ink is an interesting app for iPad which simulates watercolor painting, geared to those with an intermediate to high skill level. There are a multitude of options artists can utilize that will bring this experience as close to really painting with watercolors that one can get without paints and paper, my favorites being how the colors blend and overlap like one would find while working with water colors, as well as how gravity affects the paint, having it run if the iPad is tilted. Other options include selecting canvases with different textures which will affect how the paint is applied in terms of paint flow and brush strokes. There is control over bristle patterns and brush strokes as well as the ability to wet and re-wet the canvas at will, and It is always nice to see undo and erase buttons in drawing or painting apps, something not possible to do when painting in real life.

I found that the interface of this app could be easier, but with some practice it became simpler to navigate. I think artists will appreciate this app when it is not convenient to set up paper and watercolors, especially while traveling and it is nice that one can email finished pieces, but I would also like to be able to save a painting as to go back and finish at another time and the resolution could also be better. This app is also not very sensitive, sometimes having to go over an area more than once for the brush stroke to register. I do think this would be enjoyed by artists who understand this apps limitations, enjoying the ability to paint anywhere they would like with no clean-up.

Treasure Island by Cyberia is an amazing adaptation of the classic Robert Louis Stevenson book for iPad, which does a really great job of incorporating many different elements together such as sound, animation, and interactions to make a wonderful interactive story.

I have really enjoyed this interactive storybook. This app showcases how iPads can bring books to life while still maintaining the reading experience. Although I do love a good narration to a story, I respect the choice of the developers to not have an option to listen to this book out loud. Geared to children nine years and up, this book is designed to be read either by themselves or with the help of a adult and would be a great choice in encouraging kids to read.

This book is full of beautiful illustrations combined seamlessly with interesting animated elements on many of the pages. Creative interactions are also included that, along with the animations, are never random or distracting but instead further the story. The use of sound is also wonderful here, which includes the sounds of both the sea as well as the “arg” of pirates as well as well-done music which creates great moments of suspense for the reader.

I can’t imagine a child not becoming completely drawn in after the first page or two. In fact, I wish I were a nine year old discovering this app for the first time. I can, however, imagine the period language seeming foreign to some young readers. If so, parents may want to help in the reading and share in the experience. I think this app can also be appreciated by older students as well, including teens and adults, as a great interactive story which has no age restrictions.

Thoughtfully abridged, parents will be happy to know that the style of language is maintained while making the story accessible to children and I really appreciate that there is a glossary of words included as well as a short biography of the author. I like the ease of the interface as well, swiping to turn pages and double tapping to raise a bar from the bottom of the page containing such options like a table of contents or a glossary as well as the option to turn off the sound and a general help button for instructions. It is also a nice feature that one can scroll through the contents option, looking for a specific page by viewing a small preview of each page - this working nicely as each page is unique looking. It is also nice that the app will open to the page you left off on, a very helpful for longer eBooks.

Cyberia has risen to the short list of developers I will be keeping a watchful eye on, hoping for another wonderful application from these thoughtful storytellers.

Gulliver’s Travels – Part I – Voyage to Lilliput very nicely brings the classic Jonathan Swift tale to the iPad with both abridged as well as unabridged versions, options include that include listening to this story or reading the full, original text by oneself.

I am very impressed with the way this application has brought Gulliver’s Travels to the iPad. I remember enjoying this book when I read it a long time ago in school, but I appreciate it even more now with the addition of beautiful illustrations peppered with moving animations that really bring the story to life, as well as an interesting musical score and sound effects. My favorite moment here is when Gulliver is first brought to the city, bound on a flat and moved by horses. The animation of this moment in the story combined with the use of music here is very captivating.

I like how the text being read appears on what looks like antiqued paper, both taking up the screen as well as appearing in the corner of the illustrated pages. The narration can also be turned off if one chooses to, but the narration is very effective here in telling the story and I enjoy listening to the narrator speak.

One also has the choice of reading the text in its full, unabridged form without narration. Here, all the text is shown as if it is printed on the antique paper like many pages of the abridged version. The illustrated pages remain as well, which I think is a nice touch. It would be nice if the app had a way of bookmarking the page that one may be reading in case called away before completing the story or numbers could be added to pages themselves to make it easier to look for the last page read. Luckily, there is a section which makes finding a specific page easier, allowing the reader to view a small preview of each page with the option of jumping to the page in question, but if you stop reading on a text page the small view of each page is less helpful in finding your spot. Page numbers are added to the preview window for the original version, but without page numbers in the story itself it is still difficult to find the place you left off, an issue because one may not be able to read the full 121 pages in one sitting, especially if one is reading to a child with a short attention span.

All in all, I think this app would be an excellent choice not just for those studying Jonathan Swift in school, but for anyone who enjoys a great story. I hope more beautifully crafted books like this from Inverted Pear are created, especially the other books in this series.

Animal Ark HD is a fun and educational app for iPad which nicely combines an encyclopedia of Africa and a casual game with an animal theme. An iPhone version is also available.

I have enjoyed reading the encyclopedia pages about Africa, finding them informative and well-written. I appreciate how different sections for Jungle, Savanna, Desert, Mountains and Lakes are included, impressing the reader with how diverse Africa really is in terms of these natural environments. There is a section dedicated to animals which is also nicely drawn, as well as very educational. As of now, content for only eight of the twenty animals offered is available. I look forward to reading about the others as well in a future update.

The game section of this app is nicely done, involving the sorting and stacking of animals to create three-of-a-kind. There are two columns to focus on, and what may be good for one column may not be good for the other. If three of a kinds are not grouped together fast enough, the whole column rises to the top of the screen, and the game is over. Music is also included which has an African-inspired beat to it, and I enjoy listening to it as I play. The space between the two columns of animals is a beautiful landscape of Africa illustrating each of these environments and changes with each level. The details are rich and lush, including sunsets and beautiful blue skies, as well as moving elements such as flowing water in lakes, rain, or animals running. By far, these landscapes make the game for me and is my favorite part of this app. I really wish there was a “relax” mode so I could spend time gazing at these landscapes but to stay in the game, I need to focus on the animals, or the end comes very quickly. I enjoy this game now, but would enjoy it even more if a slower pace was possible, so I could take in all there is to look at.

Rocket Math is a new universal game involving rocket-building and launching, where one plays math games to earn the money that is used to buy rocket parts. Once your rocket is built and makes its way to space, 56 math based missions can be played with medals that can be won for completed missions, including concepts like square roots and advanced multiplication and division, as well as basic math concepts, making this game great for the entire family.

This is an absorbing game, very involved in terms of the building and launching of the rockets, with both altitude as well as air time being factors for a successful flight. Playing math games in the interest of earning money towards rocket parts is a great motivator, and I am glad that there is not a specific time limit here. The missions are very stimulating and can have an almost frantic pace, a player being able to play only as long as one’s rocket remains in orbit.

I hope that a page of building tips can be added to this app soon. As of now, there is no real explanation as to how to build a successful rocket, and for a long time I was not able to leave the earth’s atmosphere in order to go on the missions.

After watching the YouTube video associated with this game and at first copying their rocket design, I was able to go on a mission, but I wish that I did not have to go hunting for information not supplied in the app to make this game a successful experience. There is info on building the rocket in terms of how to make rocket parts bigger or smaller, as well as other adjustments and other options, and I like the very gracious option that lets the player sell back rocket parts at full price after one tries them out. However, I would really like to see a tutorial added explaining what the basic parts of the rockets do, and what it takes to make a successful rocket, and some basic principles of physics that are used in propelling the rocket.

I do think kids of all ages, from pre-schoolers to adults will enjoy this game very much once they fully understand how the different rocket parts are used. When fully comfortable with how this game works, it is addicting as well as educational.

Didakto is board game-styled app for iPad which is fun and educational for the whole family. Multiple categories are included, specifically math, language, logic, and geography, with questions gauged to age groups from four to twelve years, but in my experience, adults will find these games fun and challenging as well. First, a photo is displayed which is then sectioned into pieces that are further transformed into one half of a matching-style game. Below are the corresponding answers, the object being to drag and drop the top question pieces to their corresponding answers below. When finished, the picture is brought back together and the pieces out of place are those which had not been correctly answered. A personal photo can be used, as well as many options which are included, further personalizing this game. I am impressed with the choice of six different languages as well.

I like that this is a true family game, that there are levels that will fit the needs of a large age range, and that there is no timer here or high scores - something that I greatly appreciate. Four basic categories are included, each subject giving four more specific choices to narrow down interests as well as specific questions for different age groups. All of this makes for a very content-heavy application, and I never feel as though I have played the same game twice, even if in reality I have. The questions are educational and can be very thought-provoking, especially those involving logic.

I did not know if my son, almost three, would be interested or be able to participate in these games, but as I was looking at the four to five year old logic section, he pushed my hand aside and began completing these questions on his own, much to my amazement. He was able to answer these questions himself, but he still needs a little help getting the pieces in the correct areas to hear the satisfying “click” of a tile tapping against a game board.

This is a great game, especially for families who enjoy spending time together playing classic board games, but who also want to embrace the technology of the iPad. I think this would make an especially nice travel game as well, all nicely contained in the iPad with no pieces to keep track of, as well as many variations to choose from.

Photo Book Decoration allows you to doodle on and decorate photos imported from your photo library or taken on the fly, and email them or export altered images back to the photo libary. Available tools include pen, stamp, and background templates, each containing multiple colors, sizes and options for decorating photos.

Detailed instructions are available under the i icon on the top bar of the app, but honestly they weren't of much help. The app was unresponsive, and I could not figure out how to change the color of the pen. The app is not intuitive for an adult and would be even more frustrating for a child. For your money, there are far better photo-decorating tools out there. Don't waste your time and money on this one.

PopOut! The Tale of Peter Rabbit is an extremely well-done interactive storybook app which has not only brought the classic tale of Peter Rabbit to IPhone and iPad, but has translated the qualities of a most impressive pop-up book as well, with great results. You have the choice of being read to, or reading this book yourself. When narration is present, the text is highlighted when read out loud. Pausing and resuming is possible here, and there is an index of pages as well.

My son and I have read this Beatrix Potter story, both in its original book form as well as from other sources, and this by far has been our favorite experience. Narration has been included which is very well-done, as is the piece of classical piano music which plays in the background. By far, the best aspect of this app is that each page is crafted as if it were a very sophisticated pop-up book. Touch to wiggle the characters as if they were slightly suspended on wires. Noises are also made when things are touched, adding to the story without becoming distracting. Tabs are included to move sliding pieces of the book as well as levers to move back and forth, and dials to turn in order to create certain movements. Moving the device will also work to get many of these pieces to move and sway. I especially appreciate that combined with these beautifully low-tech looking pop-up elements, animations are included, using the devices of technology as well to further the richness of the story. Many pages have extremely realistic-looking leaves or blackberries falling from the sky: tap them and they become large and begin to fill the pages. Move them with a finger or tilt the device to have them move around the screen.

This story is long, and has a nice, soothing effect on my sometimes bouncy son. He enjoys the story and interacting with every detail very much, but it is I who marvel at the way all these pieces work. I admire the sophisticated look of the title page, that of a wood desk, antique-looking letters, an old photograph of Peter himself, as well as a quill pen and a fountain of ink. One opens a first edition copy of the book to start reading - beautiful touches which make this a great choice not only for children, but for adults as well. I do wish the musical piece was given credit somewhere on the title page, but except for this minor note, a fantastic experience.

YummyBurgers is a fun, challenging game that illuminates the difficulty of life as a short order cook. If you're kid is thinking of dropping out of high school for a career at McDonald's, this might be just what the doctor ordered. Assembling burgers to order in a timely fashion is no easy task, and if you're too slow or make mistakes, you'll quickly lose your impatient customers, who quickly turn disgruntled and walk away accompanied by sad music.

YummyBurgers consists of four progressively difficult modes of play which must be unlocked: Stand, Restaurant, Time Trial & Endurance. You must earn set levels of money to progress to the next level. I wasn't able to earn any money on Stand. Of course, my five-year old progressed to Restaurant in a short time.

The game starts out with a tutorial in which the items for layering are displayed along the bottom, and an arrow cues the finger to the correct ingredient. After a few successful runs, the arrow disappears and you are left to your own devices.

Just for fun and very challenging!

Johnny Appleseed is a storybook app from the developers at Ruckus Mobile Media. Although these developers are new to creating applications, Ruckus Mobile Media brings with them the books from the famed Rabbit Ears Library, known for incorporating award-winning stories, amazing celebrity narrations, and phenomenal music and art. These apps can be watched like a video or be read like a book, and one can make one's own recording as well, and are universal apps. This specific app, Johnny Appleseed tells the story of this folk hero's life vividly and beautifully, with the narration by Garrison Keillor being perfectly realized, as are all the other elements of this app.

I was so very impressed the first time I opened this app, struck by the water color illustrations and the music which accompanies the story as well as Garrison Keillor’s simply perfect narration. You learn not just about Johnny Appleseed's planting apple trees across America, but about his deep love of animals and nature in general. The story can be beautifully slow and meandering, the prose being lush with description and emotion, really taking its time so one really gets to know Johnny Appleseed in a way I have never before experienced. The tone can be quite melancholy, and there are moments which are sad. Parents may want to keep this in mind if their young children are sensitive, but I think that this is an amazing app for all ages, from kindergarten all the way to adulthood. I don’t think anyone outgrows a good story, and it would be a shame if parents of older children assumed this app was just for kids still reading picture books.

This app looks equally good on my iPhone as it does on an iPad, and I really like how easy it is to read this book out loud with just a sentence or two per page. I do have one request, however, I really wish that if you needed to pause this video or close the book before finishing your place could be saved. The video is roughly 24 minutes long and the book has 73 pages. I was not able to finish either one without being called away. I do wish my place was saved when I left off, especially for the video. Having said this, I am truly grateful to have been introduced to these stories; their quality is as high as it gets for storybook apps.

I'm on my way to learning Spanish! This is a unique and very addictive Spanish learning iphone app that is, in my opinion, well worth the price of admission. The app begins by requiring a profile set-up, including email address, then assigns a starting level by administering a short diagnostic quiz. I started at level two: days of the week and colors.

The player begins with a study session in which the material is presented and read with correct pronunciation. The goal then is to progress through a set of dynamic, engaging and fast-paced challenge games which truly test your knowledge of the material. After each game is completed, the user can see how many points are accrued toward unlocking the next level, and how many words have been mastered, which is a great motivator and contributes to the addictive quality of the game.

I haven't yet made it our of level two, but according to the website, the game consists of 50 lessons with over 1400 words and phrases to master, with regular updates and additions. Although Spanish is the only language currently offered, the MindSnacks website indicates French, Spanish, and Mandarin are on the horizon. It would be nice if the developers included the ability to set up multiple profiles; this is a serious limitation for families with multiple language learners.

This would be a great augmentation to any student's Spanish studies, from elementary school through university.

Those of us born in the seventies will fondly recall the "Choose Your Own Adventure" book series by Edward Packard, in which fantastical adventure stories hinged upon decision points made by the reader leading to multiple possible plot lines and endngs. If a literary concept was ever ripe for the computer age, this was it. And now, the stories are being adapted for the iPhone, together with sounds and special effects- for example, at one decision point the reader is confronted by a blinding sun, and upon turning the page is exposed to a bright white screen. Little clever tricks like this certainly leverage the technology to create a rich experience.

One cannot go back and make the opposite decision, as in the book version, which locks the reader into the story in a way the book version did not. I had a lot of fun reading the story to my four-year old and making decisions together. In the debate over e-readers versus print books, I would venture to say Choose Your Own Adventure Books are inherently structured for the digital age. I hope additional stories are released soon!

SpaceWalking uses the iPhone's GPS system and map navigation tools to create a "virtual" scale model of the solar system that you can actually navigate, on foot.

In the first step, the user defines the scale by selecting among several options for scale distance representing 1 Astronomical Unit (1 AU), which is defined as the distance between the earth and sun. The smallest distance reaches the limits of GPS accuracy and is appropriate for a short neighborhood walk, the next higher is more appropriate for a short bike ride, all the way up to a drive stretching halfway across the state.

After selecting the scale, the user points the phone in the direction in which the desired direction of travel, and selects the starting point for the spacewalk, which may be any celestial body within the solar system. The app then places pins on the map to superimpose the relative locations of the planets with respect to the map. The user can then switch to planet view, which simulates the space walk by providing graphic representations of the planets and other heavenly bodies, complete with the spooky space music and the ability to "pan" an orbit around the body and to access information about it.

I am really impressed with the innovation of this app, particularly in the use of mobile technology to bring scientific concepts closer to human experience. To me, this type of application represents the best of what technology can offer humans and society. This would be a great tool to assist a student who is learning about astronomy in gaining a perceptual context of relative distances in the solar system.

Sometimes you need something inane, mindless, and fun to pass the time, and Edamame Touch certainly fits the bill. The game starts with a black bowl of presumably steamed edamame (fresh soybeans in the pod, for the uninitiated), which are dragged to the screen and laid upon a bamboo background. By touching the three raised areas on the pod, edamame beans are released. But wait.... something special may be in store; various "achievement" beans are possible, and the app keeps track of how many of the 19 possible rare edamame beans are discovered, such as tie-dye, "poofs" (vacant bean holdsters), footballs, smileys, and the slightly disturbing "ctrl-alt-delete bean". I don't pretend to understand the meaning behind this- but perhaps that's the point; it is utterly meaningless, and strangely addicting.

Once the beans have been expelled from their pod, they can be eaten by touching, with a satisfying crunch sound, and then the husk is flicked from the screen.

My 4-year, a sushi connoisseur and lover of edamame, went nuts over this game.