Scanning Apps

There are times when you want to save receipts, business cards, an article from a magazine, or someone wants a copy of a document sent to them as a PDF (portable document file format). Scanning apps can help you accomplish all of this and more. Allowing you to share documents or save them on your device or put them in cloud storage. Below are the four best:

Finescanner (Free) iOS and Android. - This app is easy to use and automatically finds the edges. You can save or send the image (JPG)  or document (PDF). The OCR (optical character recognition) allows you to search scanned items in 193 languages. It has a book mode that makes copying two pages at once easier.There are subscription premium features available for purchase (as seen in one of the pictures). http://www.finescanner.com/

Genius Scan (Free) iOS and Android. - I really like the simplicity and ease of use for this app. It automatically found the document and took the picture. Re-cropping and making corrections are very easy. It has multiple print options. Users can upload the item to cloud storage, a FTP server, other apps like Expensify, or e-mail it. Users can save or send as an image (JPG) or document (PDF). If you use their signing or faxing app you can easily transfer your item to either. There are premium add on features that you can purchase (shown in one of the pictures below. http://www.thegrizzlylabs.com/genius-scan/

Scannable by Evernote (Free) iOS only. - If you are a fan of the productivity app Evernote this may be the scanning app for you. The design of the beautiful and easy to use. I think this app works well, especially the auto capture and auto crop. It allows you to send multiple ways as an image (JPG) or document (PDF) or as a Scannable document in your Evernote account. They also have a scanning machine that you can use to automate the scanning of                                                               multiple items. https://evernote.com/products/scannable/

CamScanner Free (Free) iOS and Android - This is one of the first and one of the best scanning apps. I have longest and it was one of the first apps I ever downloaded. Users can easily scan, save, and share items as documents (PDF) or image (JPG). Use the OCR (optical character recognition) or tags to easily find items you've saved. There are premium features that you can subscribe to use and there is a premium version of the app for .99, but I have had the app for over three years and never needed those features. https://www.camscanner.com/

Organize Your Life with Apps

Evernote (Free) iOS, Android, Web - Evernote is one of those apps that is hard to describe because it can do so much. It will take a while to truly appreciate all that Evernote can do. At its heart the app is a basic word processing app that you can use to take notes or create documents. Beyond that you are not limited to text, you can also save pictures and music as notes. It syncs your notes across all devices and can be accessed via the web or mobile app. Evernote's Pennultimate app is an iPad (or iPhone 6) app that allows you to sketch or take hand written notes and by pairing it with your Evernote account it automatically saves and syncs as a note in your Evernote account. Evernote Food allows you to find recipes and automatically save them in your Evernote account. The Evernote Scannable app allows you to take a picture and make it a scanned copy, which means the text can be searched within the Evernote app. Scanned items can be saved as notes in your Evernote account or sent to others. Last but not least, Evernote makes a Chrome extension called Evernote Web Clipper. It allows you to save web pages as an image or select text that you can import to read, edit, and use as you wish.

Sunrise (Free) iOS only - There are a lot of great calendar apps for iPhone but Sunset seems do to what matters best. It syncs calendars from Google, iCal, Facebook, and Outlook. If you use the Reminders app or set a reminder using Siri it will be added as a calendar item in the  app. Users can include people in the calendar item so that they get an invite to add it to their calendar. Through the use of the "Place" feature get directions through Google Maps. The app has a widget on iOS 8 that allows you to see scheduled items for the day at a glance. The reminder feature can be customized to remind users from 2 days before to 15 minutes before. The color coded calendar items alert users to what calendar the item comes from. The clean platform and easy to use interface make this a great calendar app.

Jorte (Free) Android and web - This app considers it self more of a personal planner than a calendar app, but that's where its strength lies nonetheless. Extremely customizable calendars, users can color code their events, change background and fonts, and start their week on the day of their choosing. Event calendars include lunar, professional sports, weather forecast, news, and food recipes. Jorte will give you countdown clocks for events. Sync Yahoo!, Facebook, Google, Outlook, and many other calendars using Jorte Sync app. Jorte Cloud website allows for multi-device synchronization and cloud backup. The widget gives today's events at a glance. Users can import or export calendar contents using a CSV file. In addition to the calendar there is a diary that allows you to include photos and a to do list manager. There are in app purchases for special backgrounds and some advanced features.

IF (Free) iOS, Android, and web - One of the basic concepts in programming is that you create a condition if this happens then this happens. IFTTT means "if this then that" they shortened the phrase to an acronymn and then to just IF. Users can create "recipes" that allow for automated processes to occur such as if I post a photo on Instagram THEN share it on my Twitter account (or save to my Dropbox or Google Drive). If I favorite a tweet THEN copy it to my Evernote notebook of "Sweet Tweets". Users can automate Fitbit info into a Google Spreadsheet. There are hundreds if not thousands of possible recipes and the website now has categories of recipes to suggest for users recipes for: school,parents, photographers, social media users, news followers, road trips, and so many more. Take a look and you might be surprised at a recipe that can help make your life easier, keep track of something, or help you communicate better.

Any.do (Free) iOS, Android, Chrome, and web - Any.do is one of the most popular organizational apps available, users create projects / to-do lists that they can create tasks and subtasks that can be crossed off and have the ability to collaborate with others. The app allows for notification, automated messages, commenting, pictures, file attachments, recurring tasks, reminders, and subtasks, On top of all that it has a  planner. You get five lists / projects, limited file sizes, and limited collaboration unless you pay either $2.99/mo. per month or $2.50/mo. for a year commitment. With that premium payment you get several additional perks: color themes, support, and custom tasks. The app has a clean minimalist display, has some fun gestures, and a how-to walk through when you first use it.

Dropbox (Free) iOS, Android, Amazon, Windows, web. There a lot of cloud storage options available but Dropbox has its charms. Users can share folders with others which is great for collaboration or sharing resources with out the hassle of setting up a server and a network. Files are available on almost any device imaginable and there are numerous apps that integrate with Dropbox as the primary option of cloud storage. In many cases you can automatically backup files to Dropbox. There have been concerns about security but Dropbox states that no users' information has been accessed. By inviting others, sharing your experience, and other tasks Dropbox will increase your storage capacity.

LastPass (Free or $12/yr) iOS, Android, Windows, Blackberry, and most web browsers. Creating secure passwords can be tough and then remembering them, changing them when there is a security breach, and all the related hassles. LastPass will remember your passwords for you and it will generate secure passwords. It will alert you if you are using duplicate passwords and give you an assessment of your password security vulnerability. Users can create form fill profiles that will fill out online forms when you prompt LastPass to fill them in. With secondary verification and sesame encryption if you desire it is extremely secure. LastPass for your web browser is free but to access it on your mobile device and use some of the advanced features require the $12 yearly fee.

Pocket (Free) iOS, Android, Amazon, Kobo, Blackberry, Chrome, Windows web. When you want to save a recipe, article, tweet, picture, or anything else you see online or in one of the 800 apps Pocket integrates with you can save it for offline (or online) reading across multiple devices. A premium account $4.99/ mo. or $44.99/yr. saves your items forever no storage maximum and even if it disappears from the web you have it, custom tags that can be selected with a tap, and a powerful search for all that stuff you're saving forever.

Media Creation / Production Apps (plus extras)

Today’s theme is Media Creation / Production (and some extra stuff)

New Adobe apps:

Photoshop Sketch -allows for drawing directly on mobile devices using special new built-in brushes, and can ship content back and forth between Photoshop CC and Illustrator CC

Photoshop Mix - updated to work with the iPhone as well as the iPad, and Lightroom Mobile adds comment capabilities for better collaboration, allows GPS tagging

Illustrator Draw -  a vector drawing experience with full support for Adobe’s Ink and Slide hardware stylus and ruler on the go. This is more of a sketching / canvas tool.

Illustrator Line - a precision drawing app that adds options for sharing shapes while they’re working. This is more of a precision drafting tool.

Premiere Clip - a lot like Apple’s iMovie app in terms of function, the features are more for the creative professional, it has full workflow integration with Adobe Premiere Pro CC so the projects can be begun on mobile and completed with a comprehensive, fully professional editing suite.

Brush - allows you to take a picture of an object or surface and upload it so you can use it as a custom brush design in Photoshop, Illustrator, or Illustrator Sketch

Shape CC - allows you to use convert any high resolution photo into a vector drawing; from fonts to cat pictures can then be used in Illustrator or uploaded to your Creative Cloud

Color CC - allows you to create custom pallets based on colors you choose in photos you have taken then upload the pallet so it can be used in your other Adobe programs

All of these apps are a way to get people to get more use out of their Adobe Creative Cloud accounts and their flagship programs Photoshop and Illustrator.

New Evernote apps (if you aren’t using the note-taking / organizing app it’s amazing):

Scannable - document scanning app. When the app is running, you simply put documents in front of your smartphone’s camera, and the app captures them automatically. You don’t have to press the camera button. The app will also categorize documents by type, it can do this because it knows the difference between items like business cards, receipts, magazines, etc.

Penultimate - tablet sketch app, you can draw with three different points with 8 colors, it knows not to mark the page with your wrist, automatically uploads to Evernote. It has been completely redesigned to be “more simple and elegant". I really like it.

Web client - the web version of Evernote has been simplified and streamlined. Options fade away if you are using them but will come back if you mouse over them. It has been designed to reduce distractions and have a clean look.

Flic - helps you manage photos stored on your phone, swipe to the right to keep or swipe to the left to delete. If you don't access the app for a while it will prompt you. It will also help you decide on keeping or deleting pictures on your iCloud account.

Other media  apps:

Camera51 - helps setup great shots, by analysing background and your photo's subject

Line SnapMovie -very popular in Asia (20 million users), shoot and edit video, share on their social media platform: Line or export to Facebook or Instagram

Treehouse -teaches programming, over 1000 video, quizzes and challenges

 A Hodgepodge of apps:

Digiduck's big decision - for kids 3-7 and their parents, teaching them how to stay safe online and when using mobile devices

My Singing Monsters - a very cute game where you collect monsters on different islands who have different musical abilities and styles. It's like creating a monster orchestra or choir. The game reminds me of Farmville and other games where you collect, build, and develop; there are seasonal characters / decorations and activities that require time. Ashley at South Holiday asks that you connect to her if you download the app.

NHL - follow your favorite teams, get detailed player information, game highlights and update clips are free, but Game Cast is a subscription service; slick and considered a vast improvement from the previous app the NHL had. GO BOLTS!

AtMyLibrary – this app is kinda clunky but it has been provided by the State of Florida library through their Florida Electronic Library. It has 52 Gale databases everything from Academic One File to the War & Terrorism Collection. It has research sources for business, cooking, health, students… so many things. They can e-mail the articles to themselves for printing or later reading. This is definitely a resource you should tell your patrons about because there is nothing else that provides this number of citable professional research resources and it’s FREE to the patron.