Looks like the iTunes App Store took a few days off for the holidays, but there were still lots of great apps released this past week, including an interesting way to take notes and link them together, and everyone’s favorite magic bus.
TYPELINK (FREE)
Create a TypeLink account, link the TypeLink app to it, and you’ll be able to create a wiki-style system of taking and organizing notes. You don’t need any complicated knowledge to create your notes wiki; as the developers say, you type, it links. While that’s not strictly true — you do need to have created a page for what you want to link to — but once that’s done (by selecting the text and clicking “new”), the links to other pages will be automatically created as you type. It’s simple and it works, and there are several helpful video tutorials available on the website (typelink.net).
WIZARD HEX ($4.99)
I’ll admit I’m not even quite sure I understand it completely, but Wizard Hex is a very pretty strategy game. You can either play against the computer, or with up to six players. You and your allies (the players on either side of you, whom you also control if you’re playing against the computer) strategize to increase your power and take over the game board.
MAGIC SCHOOL BUS: OCEANS ($7.99)
Is there any kid who hasn’t read The Magic School Bus books or watched the television series? This whimsical but educational bus, as well as everyone’s favorite science teacher, Ms. Frizzle, have come to the iPad with The Magic School Bus: Oceans. It’s an interactive storybook that lets kids tap or tilt the iPad to interact with the illustrations, or see more information or interactive elements, including photographs of sea animals.
YELLOWTAIL ($0.99)
Swipe a line on the black background of yellowtail and see it magically come to life, traveling or wiggling along the screen. It seemed too simple at first, but then I became mesmerized watching the way the shapes I drew created and informed their movements. Clear the screen or change the movements from “travel” to “wiggle” by holding a finger on the screen for a moment to get the menu.
PHOTOJAM ($4.99)
I’ve tried several apps that are supposed to allow you to take a picture via your iPhone and see it on your iPad, and haven’t been successful with any until PhotoJam. In order to access PhotoJam on your iPad, you must have the PhotoJam app on the iPhone as well. Open on both the iPad and iPhone, and PhotoJam will discover the iPhone (the app can can connect several at once). See a live preview and snap a photo, and it will appear in your timeline on the iPad. You can easily save photos to your iPad camera roll from the app, as well as send photos from your iPhone camera roll to the iPad. From what I can tell, you must save the photos during a session as a “fave,” or they will disappear after you close the app.
