There’s An App For That
Let me start off with a disclaimer. I do not own a Blackberry, iPhone or any other type of what is termed a smartphone. I have considered getting an iPhone or even an iPod touch to be able to use the cool apps. I watch the ads on television about the apps that are available and have trolled the apps in iTunes just out of curiosity. There are literally thousands of apps for virtually everything. You can find apps to help you with everything from navigating the wild concrete jungle of New York City, to finding just the right relaxation music to enjoy in your den or the perfect way to dump the person you are dating.
Recently I sent an e-mail to a bunch of friends which included links to apps for things like tracking your finances to finding a clean restroom near your location. I received a reply back from one of those friends saying her phone was dumb but it would be worth getting a smartphone just for the restroom app. She was joking, but it caused me to think about these so-called smartphones and the applications that are available.
As a writer, I am always looking for things that can be beneficial to me and my writer friends. You know how it is, the latest high-tech gadgets that can help us fill the blank page with our wit and wisdom. My two favorites are my electronic thesaurus and digital voice recorder (DVR). However, I want to look at smartphone apps here. And guess what? There are apps for that. I have plugged in various words and phrases to iTunes Store, Blackberry App World and Smartphone.net. I will include links for some of the apps I mention at the end. Since I do not have a smartphone nor an iPod Touch, I cannot comment on the accuracy or functionality of any of these apps. Some of them are free while others seem to be a bit much considering price comparisons between the three sites.
When I searched the Blackberry App World for “writer” and “writing” I found mostly eBooks. Very few tools to help writers. They do have the standard thesaurus’ and dictionaries to help find just the right words. I did find one eBook for getting started as a freelance writer. For that, if you are able to read a book on your Blackberry, I suggest you try it out. Smartphone.net and iTunes seemed to have an abundance of apps for using your own handwriting in e-mails. This appears to be a tool to allow you to use a stylus to write your e-mail. If you are like me this is NOT a good idea. It is far more difficult to write on a smartphone or even a laptop (my laptop has a built in function for writing into documents like that) than on a piece of paper; and if you already have bad handwriting, it will be much worse. However, it can be fun.
Each of the three sites did have a few apps for digital voice recording. I use my DVR when I am driving or where I can’t readily get to pen and paper (even in bed) to record the thoughts I have and then return to them later. You can download these voice files onto your computer and transcribe after. This could be a handy tool for journalists and writers who interview people for various assignments and books. Instead of carrying your DVR and your phone and juggling (I sometimes forget which pocket each is in in my briefcase) you can have only one instrument to manage
In both iTunes and Smartphone.net I also found apps for helping you write other languages. While some were your standard English translation dictionaries, but others were apps to actually help you learn to write other languages such as Hebrew and Chinese. There were also journal apps to help you keep a diary or journal for your personal thoughts and ideas. Some of the most intriguing apps I found for writers were on iTunes. On my laptop (aka: DL’s Brain) I have a program called Write It Now Novel Writing software. I love this program as it helps you organize your thoughts, characters and storyline. The apps My Writing Nook , Writing Help, and Writing Toolkit from iTunes seem to be similar to this.
I also found apps to help people write poetry, music and articles. You can even get an app to help with persistent writer’s block. Now we have no excuses as writer’s anymore for not being able to practice our skills where ever we are. Unless you neglect to recharge your phone of course. But I am the only one in the world who does that. Find the app or apps that fit you and download them today. Half the fun will be playing with the new toys and getting to know them and understand them. Then you can let them help you produce magnificent works of art.
Final disclaimer, no apps were used nor were any smartphones harmed in the writing of this post. And since there are no apps for showing affection, remember to hug someone and tell them how much you care about them.
Smartphone.net – Writing ~ http://www.smartphone.net/en/usd/search.html?order=18&qry=writing&=Search+now&cat=0&advs_language=8&rating_start=-1
Blackberry App World – http://appworld.blackberry.com/webstore/
iPhone – http://www.apple.com/iphone/apps-for-iphone/
My Writing Nook – http://ax.itunes.apple.com/us/app/my-writing-nook/id332503036?mt=8#ls=1
Writing Toolkit – http://ax.itunes.apple.com/us/app/writing-toolkit/id345490233?mt=8#ls=1
Writing Help – http://ax.itunes.apple.com/us/app/writing-help/id329400915?mt=8#ls=1
Basics Of Song Writing – http://ax.itunes.apple.com/us/app/iguides-basics-song-writing/id346212463?mt=8#ls=1
Writer’s Block Buster – http://ax.itunes.apple.com/us/app/writers-block-buster/id329389227?mt=8#ls=1
Professional Woman: Writing Assistant – http://ax.itunes.apple.com/us/app/professional-woman-writing/id329411570?mt=8#ls=1
Music Composer – http://ax.itunes.apple.com/us/app/music-composer/id302221931?mt=8#ls=1
Article Writing – http://ax.itunes.apple.com/us/app/article-writing/id328018783?mt=8#ls=1
Let’s Write Poetry – http://ax.itunes.apple.com/us/app/lets-write-poetry/id324539422?mt=8#ls=1
I Need A Muse – http://ax.itunes.apple.com/us/app/i-need-a-muse/id360166218?mt=8#ls=1
Short Story Writing – http://ax.itunes.apple.com/us/app/short-story-writing-a-practical/id367761127?mt=8#ls=1
Love Writing – http://ax.itunes.apple.com/us/app/love-writing/id362088247?mt=8#ls=1
Oxford American Thesaurus – http://ax.itunes.apple.com/us/app/oxford-american-thesaurus/id348773557?mt=8#ls=1
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