i’ve suddenly become one of those people that taps away at their ipod/iphone while standing in line for coffee. why the ipod touch and not the iphone? austin is inundated with free wifi, so, if i don’t mind having my ipod and my cellphone in my pockets, i get most of the same benefits of an iphone without the contracts and service fees.
no more laptop lugging; i can send and receive emails, check the weather, and write a grocery list. with the right apps, i can read wikipedia articles and browse dictionaries offline. what does that word mean? is it out of context? i can immediately look it up where ever i happen to be and be as obnoxious about it as possible.
Apps i recommend:
- wikipanion+
i downloaded several free wikipedia apps and found the free wikipanion to be the best because it was the only app with the capability to search within articles. many other free downloads were just portals showing the whole wikipedia page, but with wikipanion, the information is formatted and organized for the small screen. the interface is fantastic with separate menus showing article outlines and related articles making it easy to navigate wikipedia articles without scrolling up and down. i upgraded to the plus version when i discovered it could download articles to be read when offline, which is handy since i’m relying on free and open wireless networks most of the time. it also allows one to load related articles without leaving the current article, so they are waiting in que for later reading.- Enigmo
a highly addictive puzzle game. the website describes it as follows:
Enigmo is the most unique game that you’ll find for the iPhone or iPod Touch. It is a 3D puzzle game where you manipulate slides, bumpers, and other pieces to control streams of flowing liquid. Liquids (water, oil, and lava) fall from “droppers” and will bounce around the walls of a puzzle. You move and rotate the various puzzle pieces in order to divert the flow of the falling droplets so that they can reach their target. The faster you complete each level, the more bonus you will receive.
- wordbook
Wordbook is my dictionary of choice for the iPod Touch because it doesn’t require an internet connection to work. its comprehensive (although not as comprehensive as the dictionary that comes with mac os x, which i love) and is super easy to use. it has fun features as well, such as words of the day, and allows one to browse about to find random words.
