Make your Own Books for Free Using Apple iBooks Author App

In conjunction with the release of iBooks app, the digital textbook app, Apple has also announced the launch of its new iBooks Author app that is designed specifically to help users create ebooks.. It seems quite obvious that Apple is moving some of the focus of its technology into education. They  knows that there is a big potential in this ' promising market " and so a few smart investments in it will boost up their company's gainings. As educators and educational technology experts we would but welcome all these innovations and wish that the competition would heat up between all the major corporations to come up with new products to fooster education.

Some features of iBooks Author App

Here is a list of the manin features that iBooks Author app offers to its users :

• It is free
• It lets users create  apple ebooks
• It provides a variety of different book templates
• It offers several customization options to users such as the layout, design , cover etc
• It lets users include multimedia features to their ebooks
• Users can choose and customize theor ebooks 'table of contents, chapters an sections
• There are several page layout users can choose from
• It allows for importing text directly from a page or Word file
• Users can integrate some interactive widgets into their pages such as images, 3D objects, video, photo slideshows, quiz questions,custom HTML and keynote presentations.
• Users can preview their ebooks on their iPads before publishing
• Ebooks are stored in the library of iBooks store

iBooks Author seems to be a great idea in the democratization of knowledge sharing and information access but to what extent this new experience will succeed is a question that   needs  some time to see how things go  before judging the usability of this app.

For more educational apps reviews head over to my website The Best of Educational Technology

Here is a video about iBooks Author

Google Translate App Speak your Phrases and Hear Their Translation

Google Translate App is now available for the iPad. If you already have it on your iPhone then you be familair with how it works but if you have never heard tale of it then this is an iOS app that translates words and phrases between more than 60 languages. You can  speak out your phrases and hear the translations. By the way if you are interested in exploring more practical and free apps for your smart devices then I invite you to visit my second webpage called The Best of Mobile Technology .

Some features of Google Translate App

Here is a list of the main features that Google Translate App offers to its users:

• It is free
• It is compatible with iPhone, iPad, iPod
• It requires iOS 3.0 or later
• It is sized at 2.2MB
• It translates text between 60 languages
• You can speak and the app translate what you say
• You can listen to your translation in more than 24 languages
• It has the full screen option
• It archives your translations
• You can access your translation history even when you are offline

Watch this video to learn more about Google Translate app






Here are some screenshots of Google Translate App

Head over to iTunes store to download the app.

Learn English on your Mobile with SpeakingPal English App

Speaking Pal English Tutor is a great app for people trying to learn English language. Now you can check how good your English is and get suggestions on how to improve it and all for free. Speaking Pal is really a useful learning app that students can install on their mobile devices. It works both on Android and iOS devices.

How does SpeakingEnglish Pal Tutor work ?

It is very simple to use. As soon as you instal the app you launch it and get engaged in conversation with its video character which is normally 2 minutes long. The app then will assess your language and give you  feedback on the sentences you were uttering . Once you are done you can then share the recordings with your friends and colleagues.

Speaking English Pal Tutor is the kind of app that teachers  need to recommend for their students and get them away from those stupid gaming apps that are doing nothing but wasting their time.

To download Speaking English for Android you need to head over to Android market and for iOS devices you head over to iTunes Apple store.

Watch this short video to learn more about Speaking English Pal




Here are some screenshots of Speaking English Pal

If you want more apps that completely free together with video tutorials on how to use them then head over to my second website called The Best of Mobile Technology

7 Educative Gadgets For Children

Playing is an integral part of children's lives. So instead of giving them those toys that may even pose harm to your kids, why not get educational gadgets for them? Here are 7 educative gadgets for children.

1.     1   Kiddie laptops

Computers can be very educational. SO to prepare your child for technologically-inclined learning, you can give him a kiddie laptop. There are many brands of laptop for kids. There is the VTech Buzz Lightyear laptop, Fisher Price laptop, Barbie B-Smart laptop and a whole lot more. These laptops have simple controls that feature the alphabets, numbers, colors and shapes. Kiddie laptops are best given to child 3 to 8 years of age.

2.     2  VTech Mobigo

When it comes to educational toys, VTech seems to lead the market. Aside from their kiddie laptops, VTech also have the MobiGo Touch Learning System. This gadget looks like a qwerty mobile phone that enables a child to play fun, educational games. It has applications about English vocabulary, spelling, mathematics, and a whole lot more. VTech MobiGo is a perfect present for kids in the preschool.

3.     3 e-Book readers

One of the latest gadgets that is rapidly getting popular in the market are e-Book readers. e-Book readers are small gadgets that can store lots of stories, articles, and other literary publishing. Reading greatly enriches a child's mind so an e-Book reader is a gadget that you can give your kid without feeling guilty.

4.       4 Celestron Skyscout

One of the most interesting subjects to kid is the universe. It may have happened that they threw a question at you about the stars and you ended up not knowing the answer. If you do not want this scenario repeated, then you can give your child a Celestron Skyscout gadget. It can identify thousands of planets, stars and moons in the sky. It also is loaded with useful information and fun trivia.

5.    5   Nintendo DS

Nintendo DS is one of the gadgets that every kid would like to have. Although some may think it is just another game console, Nintendo DS actually supports brain training and games that your child can learn from. So just get a Nintendo DS and fill it with educational games for your kid.

6.      6  3D drawing pads

Children love animations so this very affordable 3D drawing pad gadget is really good for them. One drawing pad contains 3D paper that really makes a drawing pop out and be true to life. To hone your child's drawing skills, give him a 3D drawing pad, a pen and 3D glasses and let him be captured by his creativity.

1.    7    Bellybuds

Did you know that you can educate children even before they were born? Yes, indeed. Research studies show that an unborn baby's hearing sense starts to get active as early as 20 weeks. That is why Bellybuds are introduced to the market. Bellybuds are much like earphones that you plug into your ears to listen to music. The only difference is that the bellybuds are attached to a pregnant woman's belly. Science claims that unborn babies retain what they heard up to 1 year after they have been born. SO why not get bellybuds to educate your child in the womb and he may even become a singing protégé in the future.

This guest post was written by Danny who loves to write about Android Tablets and the best android tablet apps at his blog.

A List of Excellent iPad Apps for Educators

When Apple released iPad they knew it will spark a revolution in personal computing impacting every industry even education; why not and it is one of the first mobile tablets of its kind to combine both the mobility of a cell phone and the screen of a computer.
Today, as its popularity has gained floor and a wide range of students in all over the world are using it, it becomes urgently important for educators to ponder heavily on its possibilities in enhancing learing and engaging students.

I will not talk about these possibilities here for i will include them in a fully detailed post later but rather provide you with excellent free iPad apps that both teachers and learners can securely use in education.

The following list is not conclusive so feel free to add up to it if you have new suggestions.

1- Quick Voice Recorder

 Quick Voice is a cool mobile app. It allows its users to record their ideas, voice memos, voice email, dictation, lists, meetings, classes, or entire lectures! It is completely free and works for both iPhone and iPad. If you want to learn more about it and download it then check out Quick Voice Recorder main page.

2- Discover — Wikipedia in a Magazine

Discover Wikipedia is a great mobile app for educators it allows them to read, explore, and search Wikipedia like a rich, glossy magazine. It is compatible with iPad and  requires iOS 4.2 or later. Check it out at Discover Wikipedia main page to downlaod and learn more about it.

3- Evernote

it is an application that allows its users to take notes , brainstorm ideas and even do recordings . If you are an educator with an iPhone or iPad then Evernote is a must for you .

4- Dropbox

It allows its users to view their photos, videos, and documents (.rtf, .txt, .doc, .pdf, etc). What really amazes me about this app is that once you install it on your computer , any file you save to it will be automatically saved to all your computers, iPhone and iPad. Learn more at Dropbox main page.

5- Skype for iPad

This app allows its users to Call, video call and instant message anyone else on Skype for free. You can also use Skype Credit to conduct calls towards mobile devices as well as landlines for low rates. Learn more at Sype for iPad

6- Radial  

Radial is a cool mobile app. It allows its users to type quickly on their iPads. As you know , one of the inconveniences of the idevices is typing. Learn more at Radial speed up your typing.

7- Zite

Zite is an awesome mobile app for educators. It “ gives you personalized news, articles, blogs, videos and other content from a variety of both mainstream and niche publications and sites”. Learn more at Zite personalised magazine for your iPad

8-Show Me App

Show Me is a free mobile app. It allows its users to create interactive whiteboard-like lessons on your iPad. It also allows you to record voice-over whiteboard tutorials and share them online with your friends or colleagues. Learn more at  Show Me - create and share interactive lessons mobile app.

9- Gradekeeper

Gradekeeper is a terrific grade book application for the iPad. It is actually one of the important apps teachers should have on their mobile devices . Gradekeeper makes dealing with grades easy . Learn more at Gradekeeper : a great mobile gradebook.

For more free apps together with their reviews and video tutorials on how to use these apps on your mobile phone I would direct you to my second website called The Best of Mobile Technology.
That s it about A List of Excellent iPad Apps for Educators. I will be adding up to the list every now and then.

Skype for iPad is available now

To all Skype lovers, the mobile app you were waiting for to  run Skype on your iPad is right here. It is available for download now and for free in the Apple App Store. This app allows its users to Call, video call and instant message anyone else on Skype for free. You can also use Skype Credit to conduct calls towards mobile devices as well as landlines for low rates.

Some features of Skype

Here is a list of the main features that Skype offers to its users:

• It is free


• It has a nice interface


• It is easy to use


• It allows you to run Skype on your mobile and make calls and video call all for free


• You can call Skype contacts for free on 3G* or Wi-Fi


• You can save on calls to Contacts or any phone number


• High quality sound for Skeype to Skype calls

Thinglink- Embed Links, add sound and tag people in images

Thinglink is a great web tool. It provides a variety of image interaction tools to let its users to manipulate their images the way the like. It actually turns any image into a platform where you can add sound , tag things on it like items, people and faces, and embed links. When you finish customizing your image you can then share it with others via email or embed it on your blog or website.

Thinglink technology lets businesses and consumers connect their images to anywhere on the Internet. 90+ billion photos online offer rich opportunities for in-image links to engaging user experiences that will transform how we interact with images.

Some features of Thinglink

Here is a list of the main features that Thinglink offers to its users:

• It is free


• It has a user friendly interface


• It is simple and easy to use


• It lets you  embed links, sounds and tag items (thing, people etc) on your images.


• It works both on mobile and tablets.


• It is reliable and safe


• It has a powerful tag editor


• It supports several blogging platforms


• Make your images public and let others tag them


• You can sign in using facebook account .


• you can automatically share with others via the social sharing buttons on the image

How can i get started using Thinglink ?

Here is a video tutorial to show you how you can use Thinglink

If you liked this post and want to explore other image editing tools then i invite you to read Free Image Editing Tools.

Samsung Nexus S 'Gingerbread' Smartphone is available at ATandT

Nexus S Comes to AT&T - Official Google Mobile Blog: "Since launching Nexus S with Samsung, T-Mobile and Sprint customers have enjoyed the pure Google experience, running the latest Android releases and Google mobile apps. Today we’re excited to announce a Nexus S device optimized for AT&T, available in Best Buy stores this weekend."read more in

Nexus S Comes to AT&T

TypeLink – a Great Note Taking Mobile App

TypeLink is a cool mobile app for educators. It is a great cloud-based note-taking wiki application. It allows its users to create, store and edit their notes wherever they are. If you have an iOS smart- device then you can use this notepad tool for free.

Educators can use this app to organize their notes and have access to them be it in the classroom, in a meeting or in a plane. The information you store either through the app or through the browser is automatically synced.

Some features of TypeLink

Here are the main features that TypeLink offers to its users:

• It is free


• It is simple and easy to use


• It has intuitive interface


• It lets you organize your notes in pages that link to each other


• It allows its users to store notes online on unique shareable public URLs


• It Adds colors to differentiate URLs from regular text


• It automatically recognizes the links you enter in


• It is compatible with iPhone, iPod touch, and iPad and requires iOS 3.1.3 or later


• You can notes publicly with a simple URL

How can i get started using TypeLink ?

Here is a short video tutorial to walk you through the different steps you need to better handle TypeLink.

If you liked this post then you might also like to check the other Educational Note Taking Mobile Apps you might need for your classroom.
That’s it about TypeLink – a Great Note Taking Mobile App.

Puzzle Man – a Mobile App to Sharpen your Thinking Skills

Puzzle Man is a cool mobile app for educators. It allows its users to play puzzle games on their mobile devices. I am introducing this app here because of the importance of such games in students’ learning experiences. Studies have proved that a regulated exposure to brain games such as puzzles can have positive effects on the kids’ brain development. It helps them develop critical thinking skills and improve their ‘reaction span’. and since some of these apps  are free why not then give them a try and dive your students into a world of effective mobile learning which is the aim behind the creation of this blog after all.

Some features of Puzzle Man

here is a list of the main features that Puzzle Man offers to its users:

• It is free


• It is easy to use


• It has user – friendly interface


• It allows its users to enjoy different puzzle games


• It offers puzzles with different difficulty levels


• It also offers Zoom in / out with multitouch gestures


• It is compatible with iPhone, iPod touch, and iPad and requires iOS 3.2 or later

How can i get started using Puzzle Man ?

Here is a short video tutorial to show you how to better use this app on your iPhone or iPad :

There are many more Educational Mobile Gaming Apps that you can check out .
That’s it about Puzzle Man – a Mobile App to Sharpen your Thinking Skills.

cartoonatic - cartonize your videos easily

Cartoonatic is a great mobile app. It allows its users to turn their videos into cartoons using different cartoonish effects. If you have iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch then it is time to have some fun. Cartoonatic gives video recording a different touch and if all the videos are configured with the right preset then you can turn them into cartoons right away even while you are recording live.

Some features of Cartoonatic

Here is a list of the main features that Cartoonatic offers to its users

• It is free


• It is simple to sue


• It is easy and quick


• It offers intuitive navigation


• It allows its uses to turn their videos into cartoons


• It offers 9 cool video effects created by cartoon artists


• It also offers real time preview of all these effects


• It lets you add music and create animated masterpieces out of your videos


• You can use the speeding up option to turn your videos into a real fun


• Instantly share via YouTube, Facebook, Twitter or E-mail

How can i get started using Cartoonatic ?

It is very easy to use and does not need any download or software installation. Juts head over to Cartoonic page and install the app . Once installed you can then start taking videos and applying cartoonish effects very easily. There are more than 9 video effects to choose from. All these effects can be previewed in real-time. Once you are ready to shoot just point it to the subject and tap the record button. You can then add some music to it and share it using the social websites like Youtube, Facebook, or Twitter.
Here is a video tutorial to show you how Cartoonatic turns videos into cartoons

That’s it about Cartoonatic – Cartonize your videos easily.

super search idea generator

Super Search Idea Generator is a cool mobile app for educators. I really like its design and the concept behind its creation. This app helps you generate interesting ideas to include in your search paper or inside your classroom. It is like a brainstorming tool with a slight difference in that Super Search works in such a smart way that you do not need to exhaust your brain.


Super Search Idea Generator can be used by anyone with an interest in technology. The purpose is to spark your creativity and stimulate your imagination. With this app installed on your mobile device you will have access to tons of ideas that can be productively used for the classroom or even the boardroom.

Some features of Super Search Idea Generator

Here is a list of the main features that Super Search offers to its users:

• It is free


• It has an intuitive interface


• It is easy and simple to use


• It helps you generate important ideas for your discussion or search paper


• It offers over 1 billion possible combinations


• It allows  to lock words in the picker while still refreshing the questions.


• You can add your own word to any of the three fields in the picker and save those words across sessions


• It has Hand-crafted” list of words designed to provide unique, stimulating (and sometimes humorous) combinations of questions

Applications of Super Search Idea Generator

Super Search Idea Generator is a mobile app that educators should be aware of and i would really love to see some of you give it a try and see what they can do with it. Here is an excerpt to show you what it can be used for written by Tapku ( the app engineer ):

finding a good answer is hard, but asking a creative question can be even more challenging—and more rewarding. This is why we made Super Research Idea Generator. Designed by a PhD student studying communication and rhetoric and an undergraduate computer science major, Super Research Idea Generator is perfect for jumpstarting your academic imagination. Coming up with a good research question is the key to writing an insightful paper or leading an inspired discussion. Super Research Idea Generator will help you think of interesting questions you can use to begin your research. It’s perfect not just for research papers, but you can use it for presentations or leading discussion in class. It works just as well for teachers as for students.

If you like this app then you might also like the other Mobile Learning Apps i have covered here so far.

Catch Notes – capture and organize notes on your mobile

Catch Notes is a feature-packed notepad app. It allows its users to '”capture text , voice, images, and locations, all with free sync and backups to Catch.com”. What i really like about this app is the privacy and high security level it offers to its users. All your activity stream is protected by a password. Not only that , you can also access your notes when you are offline and read them.

Some features of Catch Notes

Here is a list of the main features that Catch Notes offers to its users:

• It is free


• It is easy and simple to use


• It has an intuitive interface


• It lets you capture text, images, and locations


• It lets you share notes via email


• It protects your notes with a four digit pincode


• You can access your notes from anywhere and manage them


• You can also access your notes even when you are offline


• It allows you to create and edit notes from you mobile devices


• You can sync your notes to Catch.com


• You can organize your content with tags


• It has easy searching and tagging services


• It is compatible with iPhone, iPod touch, and iPad and requires iOS 3.1 or later

How can i get started using Catch Notes ?

Here is a short video tutorial to show you how to use this little handy app

If you like this app then you might also like the other Mobile Learning Apps i have covered here so far.

Stanza – Great e-reading app for educators

Stanza is a great mobile app for educators. It allows its users to read books on their mobile devices with an awesome interface that offers high clarity and ease of use. It has been featured as one of the top three apple favorites in the “ App Store Turns1” celebration.

With Stanza , you will forget going to the library or bookstore because you will have free access to a catalog of million of books both free and paid . If you are the kind of person who does not like reading on small screen interface then you have the ability to adjust the font size or even the effects and tapping functions of your e-reading app and all for free.

Some features of Stanza

Here is a list of the main features that Stanza offers to its users:

• It is free


• It is easy to use


• It has a user-friendly interface


• It allows you to download and read e-books on your mobile device


• It supports several languages such as :Languages: English, Bulgarian, Chinese, Danish, Finnish, French, German, Greek, Hebrew, Hungarian, Italian, Japanese, Korean, Norwegian, Polish, Portuguese, Russian, Spanish, Swedish, Turkish, Vietnamese


• It is compatible with both iPhone and iPad and requires iOS 3.0 or later.


• It allows you transfer in e-books you have in your computer with Stanza Desktop application, available for PC and Mac.

How can i get started using Stanza ?

Here is a short video tutorial for you to learn how to use This great mobile app

That’s it about Stanza – Great e-reading app for educators.

Dropbox – store and share files on your mobile

Dropbox is another great mobile app that every educator should have or at least be aware of. i have already talked about the web version of this tool in an article entitled Dropbox: The Best Way to Share, Sync and back up your Files in which i  talked about how this web application allows its users to store and share files online. Today i am introducing you to the mobile version of dropbox that you can use for free on your mobile devices.

Mobile Dropbox allows it users to view their photos, videos, and documents (.rtf, .txt, .doc, .pdf, etc). What really amazes me about this app is that once you install it on your computer , any file you save to it will be automatically saved to all your computers, iPhone and iPad. You can access your files anywhere you go.

Some features of Dropbox

Here is a list of the main features that Dropbox offers to its users

• It is free


• It is easy to use


• It has an intuitive interface


• It lets you view your docs, photos, and videos anywhere


• It lets you add files to “ favorites” for fast , offline viewing


• You can very easily save photos and videos to your dropbox


• You can also save email attachments right into your Dropbox.

How can i get started using Dropbox ?

Here is a short video tutorial to show you how to use this mobile app

That’s it about Dropbox – store and share files on your mobile.

Documents 2: mobile app to download and view docs easily

Documents 2 is a great mobile app for educators. It is in fact a powerful, top value, and must have app for any iPhone. It is the most comprehensible mobile office suite. It allows its users to download and view their documents very easily. It also let them edit and upload them to Gdocs , and  not only that , Documents 2 enable you to work on your downloaded documents offline. What do you think ? isn’t this a great app for you ?

Some features of Documents 2

Here are the main features that Documents 2 offer to its users:

• It is free
• It is very simple and easy to use
• It has an intuitive interface
• It allows you to download documents,view and edit them
• It lets you transfer documents to/from your iPhone via FTP or WiFi, Google, or Email
• It offers an easy to use text editor
• You can email any document to whomever you want
• It has an integrated preview option
• You can upload and download directly to your Google docs account
• It is compatible with iPhone, iPod touch, and iPad and requires iOS 3.1 or later.
• It also include “

File Preview:
✚ View any file, PDF Reader
✚ Microsoft Word: .doc, .docx
✚ Microsoft Excel: .xls, .xlsx
✚ Microsoft PowerPoint: .ppt, .pptx
✚ Images: .jpg, .jpeg, .tif, .gif, .svg
✚ iWork: Pages, Number, Keynote
✚ Adobe Acrobat: .pd
✚ Web Pages: .htm, .html
✚ Web Archive: .mht
✚ Audio: .mp3, .wav “

Applications of Documents 2 in education

As i mentioned earlier this app is a must have tool for your mobile device. You can have a direct and instant access to your documents right in your classroom. Teachers can email files to their students on the spot and even encourage them to share documents with each other using the instant emailing service and all for free. Why not give it a try and see by yourself and if you have any further questions do not hesitate to drop them down.
That’s it about Documents 2: mobile app to download and view docs easily.