Developer: ZZHC Studio
App Name: WebProjector
Category: Productivity
iTunes Preview
Version Reviewed: 1.2
App Price: $2.99
Date Reviewed: 8/9/2010
I find myself from time to time, in need of pulling up a website on your iPad and wish you could show it to others in the room, either via a projector or external monitor. Sometimes it’s just a website. Other times it may be a MLS listing or an online map. If you have found yourself in this type of predicament, now there’s an app for that.
The app being reviewed for this task is ZZHC’s WebProjector App. At a cost of $2.99 the price is fair for the feature set:
- Minimal interface, full-screen browsing experience
- Auto-hiding toolbar, one-touch on screen to bring it back
- Bookmarks
- Textured background and mobile device border on external screen
- Auto-rotate device appearance with animation
- Plays videos on the website
The WebProjector App requires the use of the iPad Dock Connector to VGA Adapter. Click here to find out more about the iPad Dock Connector to VGA Adapter. At first glance a “minimal interface” sounds ideal. The same goes for an auto-hiding toolbar, bookmarks, auto-rotation, and playing of videos. However, I thought the “textured background” border on external screen sounded a bit odd. With the iPad Dock Connector to VGA Adapter hooked up and the WebProjector App launched, the external monitor immediately popped up a grey, textured background. A few seconds later the monitor displayed the webpage displayed on the iPad.
The default view is to show the grey textured background bordering the webpage. However, the textured background can be hidden by using the website zoom to full screen feature. On various tests with several monitors and projectors running on a “standard” resolution of 1024×768 or 1280×1024 the zoom feature filled the website to the screen perfectly. However, on a higher resolution monitor running 1600×1200 the zoom was not quite as precise and the slightly cut off the left and right hand edges of the websites.
One of the only downsides that I feel is that there is a noticeable delay with pulling up websites using WebProjector versus using the native Safari App. The delay is not terribly long but it is enough that it should be noted. At first I thought maybe my Wi-Fi connection was suffering but after closing WebProjector and opening Safari, it was evident the performance issue was isolated to the WebProjector App.
Overall WebProjector App a nice app to have to demonstrate a website on a projector or an external monitor, especially given its reasonable price of $2.99.
Developer: Dropbox
App Name: Dropbox
Category: Productivity
iTunes Preview
Version Reviewed: 1.2.5
App Price: FREE
Date Reviewed: 7/30/2010
If you have more thane one computer (including a smartphone) keeping track of all files can be a hassle with having to copy files across from one computer to another using any combination of USB flash drives, portable backup drives, burning data DVDs, iTunes, etc. Dropbox is a single secure place for all of your files to be organized, managed, shared, and synchronized.
With Dropbox anything you put in your “Dropbox” folder (including folder and file names) gets copied over to all computers. In addition you can go online from any computer’s website browser to access files using your email address and password for your Dropbox account.
Instead of having to email a bunch of photos of a property or multiple properties, you can create a folder for someone to view. You can email out the link and once they click on it they can view all of the images in a nice full screen viewer.
Sharing of documents is very easy to do. From your computer’s Dropbox folder you can right click on a particular folder and go to the Dropbox menu and click “Share this folder.” That will launch the specific sharing options for that folder in a browser where you can enter in recipient email addresses and optionally send a message. When the person receives the email it will contain a link and your message and will open up their web browser. Viewing the folder contents of private documents (non-public documents) does require them to create a Dropbox account (if they don’t have one already).
Once they have logged in or created their account they can view and download the documents in the folder. You can revoke anyone’s permission to view the contents of the folder by going to your Dropbox account online and clicking into the desired folder and click on “Shared folder options” where you will be displayed who has access and you will have the option to remove their access.
An optional way to share files with people who do not wish to create a Dropbox account is to add the files into your “Public” folder. Your “Public” folder is exactly like other folders only it will not require users to have or create a Dropbox account but it’s open to the world to view the contents so be careful what you put in there.
From within the iPad Dropbox app you can mark documents with a star which makes the document quickly accessible from the “Favorites” section of the iPad app. This is very convenient in times when you go often to certain documents.
Dropbox is only a document management solution so when desiring to open your document and make changes to it, Dropbox enables you to select the “Open in…” option where any compatible application that can open the document is displayed. From there you can make edits and changes to the document. However, something to note is that once you have made changes to a document and emailed it out (from that app) you will at some point need to move that newly edited document back into your Dropbox account and override the existing document with the newly edited one. More on this process will be evaluated and brought to you in the coming weeks.
If you are interested in signing up for a Dropbox account Click Here and you and I will both receive a 250MB bonus of space, on top of the already free 2GB that comes free with a standard Dropbox account. Larger storage size is available at monthly fees.
Developer: Flipboard Inc.
App Name: Flipboard
Category: News
iTunes Preview
Version Reviewed: 1.0.1
App Price: FREE
Date Reviewed: 7/26/2010
Flipboard is your personal magazine with content that you care about because it has content that is connected to your social networks. Articles, images, photo albums, and videos come to you and you can always go through Flipbook’s own content selection as well.
Flipbook is really great because of it’s fast and fluid feeling it provides like “flipping” through a magazine custom tailored with content that you want to see and from your social networks. You can share, like, and reply on your social networks as well catch up on recent news.
Flipping to more content is done by swiping your finger across the screen. You can pinch zoom on practically everything from images, videos, and text and are provided corresponding options like replying or commenting. Rotating the screen from landscape to portrait changes the layout. You can pinch zoom into articles.
First impression is the interface is not only amazing, it is also very intriguing. Basically everything from the interface standpoint does everything you think it should do which never leaves you with trying some motion or tapping leaving the app non-responsive.
The only negatives that I have come across was the lack of options for the app including the lack of ability to remove either Twitter or Facebook (for those users who do not wish to have one or both shown). Another negative that came to mind regarding the Facebook content was the lack of options and flexibility to customization of what content from Facebook is displayed as well as in what specific type of layout or theme.
Maybe these items will be future upgrades to the app. Overall a very well done app that I enjoy going to on a daily basis.
Developer: SHAPE Services
App Name: IM+ Lite
Category: Social Networking
iTunes Preview
Version Reviewed: 4.2
App Price: Free
Date Reviewed: 7/3/2010
IM+ Lite is the best instant messaging app for the iPhone and iPad that I have tried. You can connect to all of the major networks including Google Talk, MSN/Live Messenger, AIM/iChat, Yahoo, Facebook, Skype Chat, ICQ, MySpace, Jabber, Twitter.
IM+ Lite is very easy to setup and allows you to enter in your IM accounts of your choice. Once setup, you can setup your options to connect at start up or require manual connection to your IM accounts.
Once connected, you can close the app and still receive notification of new IM conversations with Apple Push Notifications to the iPad. There is a time limit for how long after you close the app for receiving Apple Push Notifications but it is more than sufficient.
One of the nicest features is the built-in browser. Links send to you over IM will automatically open up the built-in browser and take you to the website. After you are done you can seamlessly go back to the IM conversation without having to leave your app. I don’t use the group chat feature often but it is nice that it is available with the use of MSN/Live Messenger account.
IM+ Lite is free to download. There are some ads that show which go away with the paid app for $6.99. All in all, I am very pleased with the features and functionality of this instant messaging app.
Developer: LogMeIn, Inc.
App Name: LogMeIn Ignition
Category: Productivity
iTunes Preview
Version Reviewed: 1.1.142
App Price: $29.99
Date Reviewed: 6/29/2010
LogMeIn Ignition is an app that allows you to have remote access to one or more computers anywhere, anytime. This app is a must for those who need to have access to files from your workstation or laptop, or if you need to login to someones computer for technical support and works for both PC and Mac computers.
Setup of your remote computer management is very simple and easy to setup. Settings are automatically configured for optimal speed and performance and enables you to customize as you wish. To get started you will need to create an account at LogMeIn.com and download the LogMeIn software for your computer (Mac or PC version). Then download the LogMeIn Ignition app from the App Store on your iPad. You will be prompted to enter in your email address and password that you used to setup your account at the LogMeIn.com website and you will see a list of your computers that you can log in remotely to. If some of your computers in your list are not powered on or available to connect to, you will see that the computer is listed in grey and stating “offline.” Click on the computer name that you wish to login to and you will be prompted with the username and password to log into that computer. That’s it!
As for the quality, the remote computers look just as if they were right there in front of you, especially when connected via WiFi. The mouse movement takes a small amount of time to get used to. The mouse does not go where your finger clicks on the screen. Your finger dragging across the screen moves the mouse. This is done so that you can see precisely where the mouse is while you move your finger without having to look directly beneath your finger. After a few seconds it should come natural to you. Pinch zooming in and out works as you would think and if you have more than one monitor setup on the remote computer you can shake your iPad to switch screens. Tap once to single click, tap twice to double-click, and double-finger tap to rick-click. The use of the keyboard is fairly straightforward and there are convenient short cut tools at the bottom to bring up the keyboard, and configure your single taps for left or right mouse click.
While you are remotely logged into the computer anyone who is physically in front of the computer will receive notification that you are logged in and will see all of the mouse movements including opening files and windows. This will come in handy when an admin of yours needs assistance in being show where to go to retrieve data or files, or when an admin needs assistance being shown how to do something in a software or MLS system.
The price of the app is a bit on the tall side, especially when it comes to apps from the App Store. However, at $29.99 you get a very high quality and polished application which I highly recommend for those who need the remote access ability. LogMeIn, Inc. does not charge a fee for all of the features that I have gone over. However, they offer a “Pro2″ version which allows for additional features for like fine transfer, remote-to-local printing, desktop sharing, file sharing, drag & drop file transfer, remote sound, as well as some alert and reporting features. The subscription price for the LogMeIn Pro2 is currently $69.95 annually. For more details on the feature comparison between the free and paid subscription click here.
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