Useful Apps

There’s an App for That!

Great Free and Low-Cost AppsFree and low-cost apps on a starfield with a tablet, phone, and laptop

 

Introduction

In today’s growing environment of mobile technology and applications, how can we expect to know what works great?  Many people have limited time for exploration of application research, so here are some of our suggested apps that can be used to address math, note taking and writing, reading, recording, text to speech and much more!  These apps are available on the iPhone and Android based platforms, as well as some Windows applications.

 

Math Help

  • Photo Math: Photo Math reads and solves mathematical problems by using the camera of your mobile device in real time.
  • Got It PhotoStudy: Stuck on a homework problem or studying for a test and need help right away? Guarantees you Math, Physics and Chemistry help when you need it – 24×7, anytime, anywhere. $$ Fee per session varies. Snap a pic of your Algebra, Geometry, Trig, Calculus, Physics, Chemistry, ACT or SAT Math homework problem and instantly connect to a study expert in seconds.
  • ModMath: Free iPad app that helps students with dyslexia and dysgraphia do math.  This app was created by parents of a child with dysgraphia, and remains focused on providing a clear tool to solve math problems without ever picking up a pencil.

 

Notetaking and capturing information

  • AudioNote: allows you to record notes and audio synced with note taking app (available for iOS, Mac, Windows and Android). They have a lite version (free) which limits to 10 minutes per note and 2 hours total OR a (paid) full version.
  • Bamboo Paper Notebook: Natural handwriting on digital paper with use of Stylus (Free).  Available for iOS, Android, and Windows.
  • Evernote: Let Evernote change the way you organize your personal and professional projects. Dive in: take notes, create to-do lists, and save things you find online into Evernote. Helps you remember everything across all of the devices you use – notes, photos, to-do list, and voice reminders.  Available for computers, and for Apple/Android apps.
  • Notability: is a powerful, yet wonderfully simple note-taking and PDF annotation app. It is uniquely designed for each device to provide the best note-taking experience at school, home, and work.
  • Tiny Scanner: IS THAT A SCANNER IN YOUR POCKET? Tiny Scanner turns your iPhone/iPad into a portable scanner. Scan documents, photos, receipts, or just about anything. Scans are saved to your phone as images or PDFs. Name and organize your scans into folders, or share them by email, Dropbox, Evernote, Google Drive, or Box, WIFI directly to your computer, Fax using Tiny Fax
  • QuickNotes X:  For iPhone and iPad only.  You can type, write, organize, add media, and export your notes.  Free and Pro versions are available.

 

Speech to Text & Communication Apps

  • D2u Dictation and Transcription: Combines a world-class voice recorder with the one of the world’s top Transcription Services to provide you with the best dictation and transcription solution available. Company charges per audio minute for transcription. Record, edit and upload a digital recording then have the file accurately and efficiently transcribed to text anywhere, at anytime.  All you need is an Internet connection. It’s easy to use, yet safe and secure (128 bit encryption). We are fully data protected and HIPAA Compliant.
  • Dragon Anywhere (Speech to Text Dictation app): an easy-to-use voice recognition application powered by Dragon® NaturallySpeaking® that allows you to easily speak and instantly see your text or email messages. Available with iOS 9.3.5+ phones and tablets, and Android 6.0+ phones and tablets.  Does require a subscription.
  • iSpeech: iSpeech converts text to speech with the best sounding voices anywhere.  Simply enter any text and iSpeech will instantly read the words aloud, even silly, funny ones!
  • Otter: Converts speech to text, does live captioning for Zoom and Google Meet.  Available for iOS and Android, as well as web-based application (Chrome extension).  The free version has a limitation of 600 monthly transcription minutes and a 30 minute continuous transcription time, as well as 2 other levels of paid subscription.
  • MyTalkTools Mobile: Enables students with communication needs to say what they want, using a sequence of words, sounds, and images.  It can be configured to fit the student.  Available for iOS and Android.
  • Voice Dream Reader: For people with reading disabilities and ADD/ADHD, but is also universally accessible.  Voice Dream Reader allows a student to highlight text which will then be read to them.  They also have a scanner where you can scan text to add tone, scan text to speech, and also export as an accessible PDF.  The writer app has text-to-speech proofreading and a word finder.

 

Mental Health and Managing Emotions

  • My Therapy: Description Award winning pill & medication reminder, with push notifications and health reports. Our pill reminder app alerts you when it’s time to take your medication. Simple, Smart and Reliable. Now you can manage your meds and track your measurements and symptoms all in one place.  Available for iOS and Android.
  • Calm: Meditation app that can help increase mindfulness, reducing stress and anxiety, increase working memory, get better sleep, help manage emotions, improving focus and many other benefits.  If you are an Amazon Prime Student member, you can get 3 months free with this link (Click here).
  • SAM: Self Help for Anxiety Management. SAM is an app designed to help people manage their anxiety. Users can record their anxiety levels and identify different triggers. The app includes 25 self-help options to help users cope with the physical and mental symptoms of anxiety. Users can create a personalized anxiety toolkit, adding in the features of the app that they find most useful for easy access. The app also has a social cloud feature that allows users to anonymously share their experiences with other SAM users. Available for iOS and Android.
  • PTSD:  The Department of Veterans Affairs’ National Center for PTSD, gathered various apps for veterans, military personnel, and civilians experiencing symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder.
  • Mood Meter: Build emotional intelligence to last a lifetime. A gift of self-awareness for yourself, and for others. Based on decades of research from Yale. Tell your Mood Meter mobile app how you feel and build emotional intelligence that lasts a lifetime. Expand your emotional vocabulary, gain insights about your inner life, regulate your feelings. Great for individuals who want/need to work on emotional self-regulation.
  • Headspace: Get the most out of your day with the Headspace meditation app. We’ll help you perform at your best through the life-changing skills of meditation and mindfulness. In just a few minutes a day, you’ll learn how to train your mind and body for a healthier, happier life. Need a bit of relief during a stressful day? Headspace can help. All you have to do is download our free meditation and mindfulness app. Then just sit back, relax and breathe.
  • Buddhify: Free version includes over 200 meditations to help overcome anxiety, stress, sleep, pain, and difficult emotions.  Sessions can be in length from 3-40 minutes. Available for iOS and Android.

 

Task Management and Productivity

  • Coach.me: Goal tracking tool to help establish habits. The app combines social networking and daily charting. Available habits range from floss teeth or clear clutter to the more difficult wake up on time. You also get daily tips and pats on the back for completing tasks.
  • The Fabulous: Create and maintain healthy routines and habits. Monitor progress and get inspiration from tools available in the app.
  • Forest: Forest is a unique time management app.  When you want to focus, plant a virtual tree.  If you stay focused the tree will grow; if you lose focus the tree will die.  You can grow multiple trees to create a virtual forest. The Forest team also partners with Trees for the Future to plant real trees!
  • 30/30: You have never experienced a task manager like this! Simple. Attractive. Useful. 30/30 helps you get stuff done! You set up a list of tasks, and a length of time for each of them. When you start the timer, it will tell you when to move on to the next task. That’s it! The display is minimal but attractive and it still shows you everything you need to know, such as what you are supposed to be doing in that moment, and how much time do you have left to do it.
  • HiFutureSelf: brings the ease of text messaging to setting up alerts and reminders. Send reminders or fun messages to your future self.
  • Trello:  You create cards for tasks that need to be completed.  Each card moves across the Trello board, which is broken down into columns such as To Do, In Progress, and Completed, which cues you to start working on and completing associated tasks.  It is free for iOS, Android, and Desktop versions.

 

Save and Store Online Articles App

  • Instapaper: Instapaper is the simplest way to save and store articles for reading: offline, on-the-go, anytime, anywhere, perfectly formatted. Instapaper for iPhone, iPad, and Android provides a mobile-optimized text view that makes reading Internet content a clean and uncluttered experience. Instapaper also enhances the standard reading experience with features like text-to-speech. Apple devises only.

 

Cool Apps for Everyday Life:

  • ChefsFeed: ChefsFeed gives you exclusive food videos, stories, and guides — plus, we show you exactly where and what to eat with restaurant reviews written by voices you can trust: the world’s top chefs. The best meal of your life is out there — ChefsFeed can show you where it is..
  • Affinity Photo for iPad: Affinity Photo is the first fully featured, truly professional photo editing tool for iPad – built from exactly the same back-end as our award-winning desktop version (available for Mac and Windows) and fully optimized to harness the power of iPad’s hardware and touch capabilities.
  • CamScanner: If you ever need to scan documents on the go, CamScanner is another great option. It’s incredibly simple to use and helpful in a pinch. The app also allows you to sync your scanned documents across multiple devices, so you can keep everything up to date.
  • Duolingo: Learn Spanish, French, German, Italian, Russian, Portuguese, Turkish, Dutch, Irish, Danish, Swedish, Ukrainian, Esperanto, Polish, Greek, Hungarian, Norwegian, Hebrew, Welsh and English. Totally fun and free. Practice your speaking, reading, listening and writing skills while playing a game! You’ll improve your vocabulary and grammar skills by answering questions and completing lessons. Start with basic verbs, phrases, and sentences, and learn new words daily.
  • 1 Second Everyday-Video Diary: Ever catch yourself forgetting life’s moments? Imagine a movie that includes every day of the rest of your life. Let 1 Second Everyday help you remember your journey and create the story of your life. Get started with 1SE today! Each day the app prompts you to shoot a short video — just one-second long — that captures something you’re doing, seeing, or experiencing. Then it compiles all those short clips into a single, longer video. By December 31, you’ll have a 6-minute recap of the entire year.
  • Wolfram|Alpha:  They collect and curate data, and allow the user to make dynamic computations based on data, algorithms and methods.  The searches you can do delve deeper than what an internet search engine can handle.  There are a significant number of individual apps, depending on topic, or more general search engine apps from everything for educational, personal, and professional area.