Kitting Out the iPAD for the Writer–Part 5
Aug 01, 11
The IPAD is a fantastic product for writers-on-the-go. I have been busy kitting mine out for on-the-go (and garden) writing. In a four part series I profiled my own choices for covers / keyboards and apps for the writer and blogger.
In this final post I will summarise all the apps and links from the series. For more details go to the blog post linked to, or take a look at the app in the iTunes store.
Read the previous posts in this series -
Part 1 – Keyboards and Covers
Part 2 – iPAD Apps for the Writer
Part 3 – iPAD Apps for Bloggers
Part 4 – iPAD Apps for Notes, Research and Brainstorming & Task Management
Part 5 – Summary Table for all posts in this series (this article)
Part 6 – Addendum Post containing alternative apps, and more apps for the writer (listed in Part 5 table also).
Summary of iPAD Apps for Writers
App |
Notes |
Link to App |
Sync Files |
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| DropboxCM Blog Link – Part 2
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Synch files across mobile devices, desktop and internet. | Dropbox website Dropbox App in iTunes |
| SugarsyncCM Blog Link – Part 6 | Synch files across mobile devices, desktop and internet. Larger storage size than Dropbox, for subscription | SugarSync website SugarSync app |
Notes |
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| SimpleNoteCM Blog Link – Part 2 | Very simple note taker, synchs across the web, mobile and desktop devices. Tags, notebooks.One of the best for notes-on-the-fly. | Simplenote website Simplenote Free App at iTunes |
| Evernote CM Blog Link – Part 3 |
Synch notes with the Evernote web-based server, mobile and desktop apps. Multiple note types – web pages, hand-drawn notes, typed notes, even audio recordings. Tags and notebooks. You need to purchase a subscription to allow for synching. | Evernote App |
| PenultimateCM Blog Link – Part 3
|
Elegant handwritten note-taker, use your fingers to write notes on photorealistic paper notebooks. Can only be exported as images. | Penultimate App |
| Dragon Dictation CM Blog Link – Part 6 |
Voice to text dictation app based on Dragon Naturally Speaking. Good for quick notes, but some problems in translation. | Dragon Dictation App |
Simple Writing Editors |
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| iA WriterCM Blog Link – Part 2 | Wordcount, simple editor, distraction-free writing function. | iAWriter App |
| My Writing SpotCM Blog Link – Part 2 | Wordcount, autosave, colour-coding of documents all in the one pane. Web dictionary lookup. | My Writing Spot App |
Feature Rich Writing Apps |
Good for larger writing projects requiring structuring such as novels or large reference / non-fiction works. | |
| NotebooksCM Blog Link – Part 2 | Document management – PDFs, RTFs, Photos, MS Office – imports and creation of several file types. Datestamps, Dropbox and TextExpander integration. Multiple notebooks with hierarchical structuring. | Notebooks App |
| Manuscript for iPad CM Blog Link – Part 2 |
Books, synopsis, chapter outlines, a pitch, distraction-free writing, wordcount, index cards, export options, Dropbox integration. | Manuscript App |
| Pages CM Blog Link – Part 2 |
Apple’s own Pages is a high-performing writing app based on the Mac desktop version. Synch between the two, if you have a Mac. | Pages App |
| Office2HD CM Blog Link – Part 2 |
Office 2 HD provides integration with MS Office files – .doc, xls – create, edit and view on your iPAD. | Office2HD App |
| Writers’ Studio CM Blog Link – Part 2 |
Large feature set – audio recordings, graphic tools, text editor; designed for full book creation on the iPAD. Publish via PDF or Airplay. | Writer’s Studio App |
Medium Level Writing Apps |
Don’t have all the features of the above, but strong in function. | |
| Index CardCM Blog Link – Part 2 | Corkboard background, index card format – can be stacked and labelled. I use this for planning, alongside Notebooks. | Index Card App |
| Chapters CM Blog Link – Part 2 |
Multiple notebooks, with time-stamped entries inside. Google docs export, creation of PDFs also. Good image handling within documents.Used primarily as a journal. | Chapters App |
Misc Writing Apps |
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| PortaPoetCM Blog Link – Part 2 | Rhyming dictionary for creation of rhyming poems, includes text editor. Web not required. | PortaPoet App |
| Writers’ Muse PlusCM Blog Link – Part 2 | Random story generator using spinner, categories and elements can be edited and added to. | Writers Muse App |
| Alpha Writer CM Blog Link – Part 6 |
Based on Montessori principles, this early years children’s app is designed to teach phonetic word sounds, and help the very young writer to create a graphical storyboard to tell a story with. | Alpha Writer App |
Brainstorming, Mindmapping and Outlining Apps |
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| CorkulousCM Blog Link – Part 4 | Fun. Corkboards, with nested corkboards, filing cabinet toolset, add sticky notes, images, check-lists and labels to create a brainstorming pinboard. Export as PDF. | Corkulous App |
| iThoughtsHD CM Blog Link – Part 4 |
Excellent mindmapping functions, compatible with many major desktop mindmapping tools. Integrated with Dropbox. | iThoughts HD App |
| Index CardCM Blog Link – Part 2 | Corkboard background, index card format – can be stacked and labelled. I use this for planning, alongside Notebooks. | Index Card App |
| OmniOutliner and OmniGraffle CM Blog Link – Part 6 |
Outliner app and graphing apps based on successful Mac software. | OmniOutliner for iPADOmniGraffle for iPAD |
| PoppletCM Blog Link – Part 6 | Excellent graphical brainstorming and collobaration app, use text and images. Syncs with the Popplet website. | Popplet (full version)Popplet Lite. |
Helper Writing Apps |
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| TextExpanderCM Blog Link – Part 2 | Create a library of abbreviations which can be tapped to expand to common-used snippets of text. Several apps listed above are compatible with this. | TextExpander App |
| Dictionary.comCM Blog Link – Part 2 | Full dictionary and thesaurus, pronunciation, word of the day, word origins and history, change background. Adverts inside, free app. Web not required. | Dictionary.com App |
| Advanced English DictionaryCM Blog Link – Part 2 | Full dictionary, pronunciation, detailed biographical, geographical and technical data. No landscape format, not made for iPAD. Web not required. | Advanced English Dictionary App |
| Story Tracker CM Blog Link – Part 6 |
Submission tracking database – input titles, genre, markets, submission dates, and auto-calculate response time expectations. Financial data kept also. Backup and restore from website, export via CSV to spreadsheets. Lite version lets you try out with 5 stories. | Story Tracker(paid full version) Story Tracker Lite (free) |
| Total Submission CM Blog Link – Part 6 |
Another writing submission database with less features than Story Tracker, but less expensive, and nice looking notebook interface. | Total Submission App |
Reading & Document Management and Research Notes |
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| GoodReaderCM Blog Link – Part 2 | PDFs and large text files – supports annotations with drawing, stickynotes on these. Rename, move files, supports synch via Dropbox. | GoodReader App |
| Notebooks CM Blog Link – Part 2 |
Document management – PDFs, RTFs, Photos, MS Office – imports and creation of several file types. Datestamps, Dropbox and TextExpander integration. Multiple notebooks with hierarchical structuring. | Notebooks App |
| iBooksCM Blog Link – Part 6 | Excellent e-reader app from Apple. The bookstore doesn’t have as many e-books as other stores, but great reading interface. | iBooks app |
| Kindle for iPAD CM Blog Link – Part 6 |
Amazon’s Kindle app is another must-have e-reader for the iPAD. Access (via browser) to thousands of commercial digital books, magazines and newspapers on the Amazon stores. | Kindle for iPAD |
| Zinio CM Blog Link – Part 6 |
Zinio website allows purchase of some of the world’s popular magazines in digital format. App downloads these to be read offline. | Zinio App |
| Bluefire Reader CM Blog Link – Part 6 |
An e-Pub or PDF ebook reader which works with Adobe Digital Editions software and authorised DRM content. Requires transfer of books from the Digital Editions software, or Bluefire accesses several online bookstores also.
An alternative is BAM. |
Bluefire Reader app
or BAM app. |
Research, Social Networking and Feed Reading – Helper Apps |
Browsing, News, Feeds | |
| MultiTask CM Blog Link – Part 3 |
A browser app which shows Twitter in the left pane, and another window in the right – use this for browsing to chat windows, news sites, research and reference sites. | MultiTask App |
| Split ScreenCM Blog Link – Part 3 | A browser app which has two panes – use one for chat, one for a research or reference site. | Split Screen App |
| The Early Edition CM Blog Link – Part 3 |
Read your news feeds in a newspaper interface. Categories for your feeds. | The Early Edition App |
| Flipboard CM Blog Link – Part 3 |
A Flipbook interface for your favourite feeds. Facebook, Google Reader, Flickr, Twitter and Instagram inbuilt, plus many other themed feeds, or add your own. | Flipboard App |
| Instapaper CM Blog Link – Part 3 |
Locate reading content on the web, and select to read later offline via the Instapaper web account and app. | Instapaper.com Instapaper App |
| Read it Later CM Blog Link – Part 6 |
Similar to instapaper – browser apps allow you to bookmark websites and synch down to your iPAD to read offline. | Read it Later List (website) Read it Later app |
| Reeder CM Blog Link – Part 6 |
Good feed reader, works through Google Reader. | Reederapp(Also consider Feeddler ) |
Blogging Posts |
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| WordPressCM Blog Link – Part 3 | Almost full wordpress environment, but lacking in rich-text input, and no draft differentiation. Does provide WordPress blog stats. | WordPress App |
| BlogpressCM Blog Link – Part 3 | Supports most blogging platforms including Tumblr, WordPress (some comments suggest otherwise), Blogger. Facebook and Twitter notification of posts. Good video blogging functions. | Blogpress App |
| BlogsyCM Blog Link – Part 3 | Supports WordPress and Blogger, Flickr image posts, Picasa. Local drafts supported. | Blogsy App |
Productivity Apps |
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| ThingsCM Blog Link – Part 4 | Based on Things for Mac, the app syncs wirelessly with the Mac desktop version. Task Management, schedules, reminders. | Things App |
| Task PRO CM Blog Link – Part 4 |
Task management application similar to Things. Schedules, reminders. Integrates with the Toodlelo online system. | Task PRO App |
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