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Science Apps for the iPhone


Tormod

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It's fascinating. Mobile devices have changed the way we use the web. It will also, inevitably, change the ways we can use the web.

 

Ten years ago we probably expected to see handheld gadgets with scientific dictionaries in them. Scientific calculators weren't too hard to imagine, either, what with the upcoming Palm Pilot and all. But while the Palm turned out to be a good idea (and lets leave it at that), the iPhone changed things for real.

 

On the launch day of the iPad, let me present some cool science (and science-y) apps for the iPhone. No strict rules have been used for to evaluate these. I just took a walk in Apple's app store.

 

A randown selection of nifty science apps

 

righthttp://hypography.com/forums/attachments/science-news/2868d1270346143-science-apps-for-the-iphone-spacetime_3-jpg[/img]A handy use for a handheld device (pun intended) is of course to recreate something that's always been a handheld device, but the SCI-15C scientific calculator is $19.99 and probably covers even more of your needs even in it's virtual rendition. If it's too expensive, get a graphing calculator for $0.99.

 

For the more adventurous, the SpaceTime graphic calculator should make your calculations more, uhm, relative than ever before.

 

Did you foresee the ability to watch the Sun live on your handheld? Starquake stores a mini sun in your pocket for when the urge to see it live pops up.

 

Or even better, get the entire universe (or at least a handy subset of it). Pocket Universe gives you 3D viewing of planets, moons, meteors and stars.

 

If the orbits of the planets confuse you, or you happen to have a physics exam coming up, Physics Review is an app that will help you look up physical constants and various properties at will.

 

Feeling lonely and want to debunk bad science? The social networking aspects are definitely not lost in the mobile sphere. Dip into Skeptical Science for a brilliant example of how social media and groundswell can be empowered to refute skeptics of global warming. Surely the reverse of this app must also exists.

 

For something a bit lighter, how about just opting for 100 Words Every College Graduate Should Know? If Fibonacci sequence isn't in your vocabulary, this might be the thing for you (although that would be two words, no?).

 

And when you tire of it all, kick back with the definite must-have this week: The newly released Buzz Aldrin Portal to Science and Space Exploration. For two bucks it's a steal.

 

So have you dipped into handheld science entertainment for the masses yet? Feel free to add your favorites in the comments.

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Thanks, Freezy! I saw some screenshots of some science apps for the iPad...wow. Maybe a good topic for a follow-up text.

 

i heard about this from some techy guys talking in an interview yesterday. :hyper:

 

iPhone apps will run on the iPad

With today's announcement of the iPad, we heard about a new SDK for developing apps. We also heard, though, that the iPad will be capable of running all current iPhone apps without modification, downloaded straight onto the tablet from a built-in App Store. Either you can run apps normal sized on the larger screen, or, using pixel-doubling, iPhone-native apps can run full screen on the iPad. Apple has already rewritten all of their own apps using the new SDK (which will be available for download today on Apple.com), and I'm sure we'll start seeing tablet-driven development from iPhone developers immediately.

...

While graphics-based iPhone apps are probably going to look pretty decent on the tablet, text-based applications look a little awkward when it's just bigger text. Native apps are going to be a must to really make this platform work, and I'm looking forward to seeing what current (and new) developers do with the new screen size and format.

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