iPad apps for university
I originally bought my iPad 2 to play with, but I thought wouldn’t it be great if I could use it for University (at least then it’d be a whole lot easier to justify) so I embarked on an app spending spree to find the right ones. I decided to write an introduction to the ones I use from a practicality point of view. To give you some context, I’m a Civil Engineering student, at the University of Canterbury in Christchurch, and will be discussing this in reference to my lecture experiences.
Apps and Stylus Used
After much searching I settled on the following apps and stylus.
– Noterize $5.29
– Penultimate $2.59
– PDF Reader Pro * $1.29
– Dropbox * $0
– Dagi Stylus P501 $ 23 US +PnP
* Signifies iPhone and iPad compatible app
Dropbox
I’m going to start with Dropbox because it’s the most important app. iPhonewzealand have previously reviewed Dropbox so I won’t go into huge amounts of detail, but it is a universal automatic file backup service where you get 2GB storage free and can pay monthly for more. As a Uni student, if you sync only lecture notes and assignments, you can fit your entire years coursework in. By universal what I mean is that you can install clients on Android, iOS, Windows, Mac, Linux (and web access) and these will all automatically backup and push updates to each other should they be logged in, when I make a change on my iPad it is automatically synced to my PC.
Dropbox PIN protection
You can pin code protect Dropbox on iOS and I recommend you do so, if a mate fools around it affects all your files.
Dropbox main menu
This is the main menu, displaying the help guide and my folder structure that I set up previously on my PC. As you can see we have the option to open the document in Noterize and PDFReader.
PDF Reader Pro
As you can see I have imported the quick start guide into PDF Reader Pro, if it crashes then just open PDF Reader Pro manually, hit the upper left inbox button and open what you wanted (import is a little buggy at the moment).
PDF Reader Pro
PDF Reader Pro
The only real reason I have this software is bookmarks and jump to page. Critical functionality lacking in Noterize, especially if you have a 900 page eTextbook like I do.
Noterize
Noterize will be your main workhorse as a student. It lets you import almost any file type (though it hates docx equations – be warned) and edit them. You can add text boxes, use the stylus (or finger) to write and highlight your notes and then when you’re done you can upload it back to Dropbox via WiFi or 3G in the same format.
Noterize
As you can see from the image, I have added back in (very crudely) the shading on the graph, added notes in bordered textboxes (note: you can use different types and colours of text display), and drawn connectors.
Noterize
Noterize
Some lecturers give out incomplete lecture notes that you have to fill in, generating rather a large amount of quite vulnerable paper. Noterize coupled with Dropbox will eliminate the need for paper and allow you to directly edit the raw files your lecturers upload. You can also import documents from websites via Safari (and I’m sure other browsers but I just use Safari).
Noterize
One important feature I haven’t discussed yet is audio, yep that’s right, Noterize can record audio for each page, automatically moving to a new audio file when you swap page. So I can start on page 1 and by the end of the lecture I will have audio for each page. Unfortunately the mic on the 3G iPad 2 is crap, so the audio quality is poor, however it might be possible to use a Bluetooth microphone to solve the problem.
Some other features include the ability to add pages between existing ones in imported documents. Add webclips and photos, and use VGA output to present your document on a TV or Projector. You can also copy a page and insert it into a different document.
Penultimate
Penultimate’s usefulness is directly proportional to how useless you are with the stylus. That being said the Dagi stylus is the most accurate stylus available for iPad (and if you argue Pogo I will slap you). Penultimate allows you to create notebooks which can be uploaded through iTunes or via email as a PDF.
Penultimate
It’s worth pointing out here that this app can only orientate its options vertically, but you can write horizontally if you wish. I have moved the controls to the top of the iPad because I kept hitting the page turn when writing near the bottom but this is personal preference.
Penultimate
Hitting the ||| button will present you with a quick pick selection of all pages in a current notebook. Alternatively you can swap pages by hitting the top left and right buttons (because I moved them).
All pages
As you can see my writing is currently a work-in-progress, but from my notes you can see that I can easily swap colours, draw thick and thin lines and draw pretty pictures. I find this as easy to write on as paper, you just need to practice your technique.
Penultimate
Penultimate
One thing I have not shown is paper choice, Penultimate can present you with lined paper, grid paper and plain paper backgrounds. The final thing I want to mention about this program is its “Wrist Guard”. Penultimate is known for best being able to detect what’s a stylus (or finger) and what’s the wrist that you can’t keep off the damn screen. It’s not perfect, you’ll get the odd splotch but the eraser tool can easily tidy that up.
Dagi Stylus
Stylus choice is a personal one but my personal preference is the Dagi Stylus. I suggest you watch this video where they review the 4 main stylus options.
Summary
You don’t need to pay for PDF Reader Pro, but you do have to buy Noterize and a decent stylus. Dropbox is essential for all Students, if you don’t have it already go put your finger in your desk drawer and slam it shut. Now (that you are suitable chastised) go download it.
Noterize and Dropbox are an amazingly useful combination, you don’t need Penultimate unless you intend to be drawing pretty pictures. My drawings were rubbish, but on the website for Penultimate there is someone who drew a pretty amazing cut away of a heart for a bio class on it.
I am sure this took some practice
You also get a 15% online discount on a Pogo Stylus with both Noterize and Penultimate, but why would you want one? Well it is the best for sketches, but it truly sucks for writing.
Anyway I hope you found my procrastination, err I mean app reviews interesting. Hit the comments and let me and others know what you use.
Want to write a review for the site? Head over to our Reader Reviews form to get started!
Awesome review Crucias, thanks so much. Are iPads becoming a common site in lecture rooms here now?
(Steve Lawrence has made 648 comments)
The lack of proper pen/stylus support for iPads is what puts me off. Noterize looks like exactly what I could make use of, however these 3rd party ‘hack’ styluses just don’t do it for me. When, if ever, the iPad becomes more suitable and is actually targeted at use for pens then I will consider buying one. The Dagi looks really bloody annoying to use to be honest, Apple would probably invent some awesomely real-pen-like stylus that could be used. They’re good at that sort of stuff.
But yeah great review, although it really does seem like a work around for a major short falling of the iPad (for me at least).
(Mak has made 222 comments)
@Steve: No they are not, they are expensive as hell. There will be at least 3 of them in my classes when the pre-orders arrive. Your welcome for the review, my profuse thanks for using it.
@Mak: Apple will never make Styli for the iPads, they used capacative touch screens (not resistive) which require a area of touch to activate. The current 3rd party Styli get around this by creating a footprint large enough to register on the device. The Dagi one is actually easier to use, it feels like a normal pen and doesn’t wobble like the others do.
Here is a question i have become a Mac used about 2 yrs ago and have a lot of my old Microsoft excel files (Office’97) that were created with macros. Now my dilemma is that i still use those files on my PC and would like to use them on my Mac’s Numbers. Is there a way i can do this or will my Mac recognizing the Macros as a virus or messing up the macros if i convert it to Numbers.
(alopes has made 71 comments)
@ alopes: Best thing to do is just try it. Numbers has a lot less functions than Excel so there’s a good chance the macros won’t work but trying won’t do anything – if you’re worried about your files being ruined, copy them first. If it doesn’t work you could always use Excel for Mac instead, or even possible OpenOffice (which is free). Either way, time to rescue them from your PC!
(Steve Lawrence has made 648 comments)
I use Notability for note taking as it allow me to type, draw diagram, and pin up pictures, plus I can search for information I put in later. Not a fan of write things on iPad using stylus where I have to export to Evernote before the handwriting can be search. I also use iAnnotate for course readings and highlighting text, GoodReader for file manager (just try out Zen Viewer but it’s lack ability to access FTP).
I use BoxWave stylus with SketchBook Pro for design courses to draw concept works. The rubber tip make writing and drawing on iPad screen much better than form on Pogo stylus as I don’t feel like it going to come out anytime soon. I use JotNot to scan class paper handout from photo (thanks camera on iPad 2!). I write essays on desktop computer, but I did write essay on iA Writer and Page before on the first iPad.
It’s great to carry nothing else but iPad to classes, but there was some downfall as when I have to write script in class and have to share it with 2 actors, and there is no printer anywhere near. I did the silly thing by try to photocopy the iPad screen but that does not work (hey, I try). It would have been fine if the two actors has smart phone (or even better, iPad), then I will send to them via email. I uses Celtx to write screenplay for scriptwriting course, and wish it can export to PDF on iPad, without the need to sync it to desktop first. There are other scriptwriting apps that can do that, but I kinda like interface on Celtx.
(Kirawat has made 8 comments)
I acquired Notability after i submitted this review, i don’t personally like it, it doesn’t support the way my lectures are run (i don’t write lots of pure notes). i just saw there was little on iPad for students, so wrote a piece.
However your totally right, iPad > books when it comes to classes. We also have Angry Birds when the content bores us!
Not meaning to sound facetious, but would it not have been easier to just use the keyboard dock? Or a mini keyboard with the USB adaptor.
(Plamsaglows has made 52 comments)
Quite likely but those have their own limitations. We have no desks (lectures in a church while Canterbury uni got fixed up) so keyboard would be impractical.
I use the styles mostly for diagrams, the text I showed was early attempts to see just how useful that note taking method is. It’s not neat, but it’s fast, especially for multi colored diagrams
You should try Notes Plus. It allow close-up writing for neatly and tidy handwriting, which make taking note in Penultimate feel like writing on whiteboard. It also has many more colours pen to choose from. But it could be a bit more complex with many options it has.
(Kirawat has made 8 comments)
I have been trying to download that for a few days but they dropped the price from 8.99 to 2.99 for a 3 day special and it bugged out, resulting in it being un-downloadable.
I intend to try it when i return to university, i’ll probably write another review in a month or so with more programs, there are quite a few being released now.
Also, a tip to any students using Dropbox, register your University e-mail address at http://www.dropbox.com/edu and you get double the amount of extra space per-referral (also applies to referrals done in the past).
(Mak has made 222 comments)
Mak wrote:
Cheers Mak! Even though, the site said “.edu” email address but “.ac.nz” work perfectly fine.
(Kirawat has made 8 comments)
We have a mic designed to work with it includes free software and you can record the lectures
http://www.jansen.co.nz/product.php?b=&sku=IRIGMIC
Great for journalist students as well
works with phone/pad/pod
(nzsimon has made 1 comment)